The Council of Trent in session.
Ecumenical Councils are the main way in which the Christian Church settles doctrinal issues. There have been well over a dozen of these councils throughout the course of church history. They are for doctrinal issues and usually only surface when the Christian world is in crisis.
The Council of Nicaea was summoned to settle the Arian heresy. The Council of Chalcedon was summoned to settle the monophysite issue. The Third Council of Constantinople was summoned to deal with monothelitism. Very important councils for very important issues.
In the second millennium of the Christian faith, the ecumenical councils continued with the greatest turning out to be the Council of Trent. The Council of Trent was summoned to answer doctrinal innovators of the 16th Century. The Council Fathers didn’t invent anything new but simply took scripture and tradition and used it to condemn the doctrinal innovations.
The council convened between 1545 and 1563 in Trento in Northern Italy and upon the completion of the Council, Pope Pius V worked hard to implement the reforms. These reforms included issuing the Tridentine Mass, publishing the Catechism of the Council of Trent and many other reforms.
Despite the importance of this council, many bishops in the hierarchy of the Church in the last century have collapsed on Catholic theological issues. They have made ambiguous statements regarding doctrinal issues for the sole reason of not offending people of other faiths. Such is the sad situation of our modern world.
However, the decrees of the Council of Trent are very clear and are accompanied by the word anathema for even further clarity. St. Paul uses this word in his Epistle to the Galatians. He says:
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.”
Whenever statements conclude with anathemas, they are very serious. St. Paul uses them to condemn false gospel teachings and so does the Council of Trent. An example of an anathema statement from Trent is as follows:
“If any one denieth, that, in the venerable sacrament of the Eucharist, the whole Christ is contained under each species, and under every part of each species, when separated; let him be anathema.”
This is Canon III from Session XIII. The language is unambiguous and precise so truth can be clearly communicated. Why did the Council do this? They did this because truth is truth and to compromise on truth is to leaven the yoke and water down the faith. It does no one any favors when truth is watered down. This is true whether you are Christian or a doctrinal innovator. Anathemas and clear statements go hand in hand. After all, if you anathematize someone you want to be clear on what they did to warrant the condemnation. That is why they are important and useful.
It is a mercy to give these precise anathemas to heretics because they need to know where they need to change. This is true whether the statement includes Original Sin, Justification or the Eucharist. I should also point out that the anathemas of Trent are just as valid today as they were the day they were issued. They are in full effect and will be until the end of the world. This is a blessing because we can all look back and clearly see what we need to believe for the salvation of our souls.
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