The Catholic Reformation Practice Test

The Council of Trent (1545–1563) responded to Protestant critiques by defining Catholic doctrine and reforming church practice. It reaffirmed the authority of both Scripture and tradition, upheld seven sacraments, and insisted that salvation involved faith and works, aided by grace. It also addressed abuses by promoting clerical education and discipline. Which claim best reflects Trent’s doctrinal position in the Catholic Reformation?

Catholic renewal in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries included both institutional reforms and new strategies to shape popular devotion. Jesuit schools trained elites, missionaries worked in Asia and the Americas, and Catholic rulers supported confessionalization. Meanwhile, Baroque churches used dramatic architecture, emotional religious imagery, and theatrical lighting to communicate the glory of God and the saints. In a context of confessional competition, what was the primary purpose of Baroque art and architecture for Catholic reformers?