Trent and its Impact

The council was both an answer to the Reformation and an attempt to reform the Catholic Church. It had an extraordinarily troubled history that extended over eighteen years and that involved emperors, kings and queens, and five popes. Directly and indirectly, the council had an immense impact not only on Catholics and other Christians but on almost every aspect of western culture. Its successful conclusion marked the beginning, therefore, of what is often referred to as the Tridentine Era in Catholicism—an era that lasted until the mid-twentieth century with the Vatican Council II.

The Georgetown conference brought together a group of distinguished scholars to examine the council from the perspectives of their respective disciplines. It opened with brief introductions to the council and a performance of Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass), which has long been described as having saved the council from prohibiting polyphony.

• “Is Reform Possible? Historical and theological perspectives on the Roman Curia” by John O’Malley (originally published in America, September 30, 2013)
• “The Council of Trent” by Giuseppe Alberigo from Catholicism in Early Modern History: A Guide to Research edited by John O’Malley (St. Louis: Center for Reformation Research, 1988)
• “Epilogue: the close of the Council of Trent in the light of the Second Vatican Council” from Crisis and Closure of the Council of Trent: A retrospective view from the Second Vatican Council by Hubert Jedin (London: Sheed and Ward, 1967)
• “A Lesson For Today? Bishops and theologians at the Council of Trent” by John W. O’Malley (originally published in America, October 31, 2011)

Welcome and Introduction

• Welcome
  President John J. DeGioia, Georgetown University
  
  
• Introduction to the Conference
  John W. O’Malley, S.J., Georgetown University
  
  
• Introduction to the Music
  Anthony DelDonna, Georgetown University
  
  
• Missa Papae Marcelli (Pope Marcellus Mass) by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 
  Conducted by Frederick Binkholder, Georgetown University 
  Performed by the Georgetown University Chamber Singers
  
  
• Further Reflections and Question & Answer Session
  Anthony DelDonna and John O’Malley

What Happened at Trent

• John W. O’Malley, S.J., Georgetown University
• Amy E. Leonard, Georgetown University, Moderator

Before and After Trent

• Theological and Reform Prelude: The Councils before Trent
  Nelson H. Minnich, The Catholic University of America
  
  
• What Happened and Did Not Happen After Trent
  Simon Ditchfield, University of York, United Kingdom
  
  
• David J. Collins, S.J., Georgetown University, Moderator

Trent and Culture

• The Sensual and the Sensuous in the Art of the Tridentine Period
  Marcia Hall, Temple University 
  Tracy Cooper, Temple University
  
  
• Reckoning with Trent: Poetry and Faith in Torquato Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered
  Laura Benedetti, Georgetown University
  
  
• Alfred Acres, Georgetown University, Moderator

Protestant and Catholic Perspectives on Trent and Afterwards

• Early Lutheran Perspectives on Trent
  Kenneth Appold, Princeton Theological Seminary
  
  
• From Trent’s reform decrees to Vatican II as a pastoral council of aggiornamento, via Carlo Borromeo and Angelo Roncalli
  Jared Wicks, S.J., emeritus, Pontifical Gregorian University; Scholar in Residence, Pontifical College Josephinum
  
  
• Michael Root, The Catholic University of America, Moderator

Trent: So What?

• Further discussion and questions
  John Borelli, Georgetown University, Moderator