Did the Church change its doctrine during the Counter-Reformation?
The short answer
No. The Council of Trent changed discipline, not doctrine: it founded seminaries, unified the liturgy, and clarified doctrine without — as it could not — changing it. The Protestant Reformation, by contrast, produced continual division over interpreting Scripture.
Reform from Trent
The Church's reform came through the Council of Trent. It changed discipline, not doctrine: it formed seminaries and regularized the education of the clergy, and it unified the liturgy.
Clarified, not changed
Trent clarified doctrine but did not and could not change it. The Church remained consistent in what it had always taught, and still is.
The contrast
The Protestant Reformation produced continuous division over the interpretation of Scripture, each new denomination claiming to be authentic. Since they contradict one another, they cannot all be right — and the divisions now number in the thousands.
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