A Roman Catholic council held from 1545-1553 to address challenges by Protestant Reformation. Members redefined Roman Catholic doctrine and theology in ways that endured through much of the twentieth century. This council was a central foundation of the Counter-Reformation or Catholic Reformation. Highlights include the following: Scripture and tradition are important sources of religious authority (as opposed to Protestant assertions that Scripture alone is authoritative); individuals cannot interpret Scripture for themselves but must rely on the Church for Scriptural understanding; and the reassertion of the mediating role of clergy through the experience of the liturgy.
