Did the Counter Reformation fail

Answer 1

The Counter-Reformation, i.e. in response purely to the Protestant Reformation, was not a great success, as few lands were won back to the Catholic Church during the period 1555-1648, even during the Thirty-Years war when there were good opportunities. The Catholic Reformation, or Catholic Revival, on the other hand was. By the end of the period there was a stronger papacy, and a reduction in the secularisation of the clergy. Nepotism had all but been abolished, pluralism was, and the Jesuits and some of the older orders had won new converts in the New Worlds. The clergy were being better educated in how to lead the laity, and the laity in what their faith was about, as a result of seminaries and a catechism programme respectively.

Answer 2

The Counter Reformation, led by the Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation, was largely successful in achieving its goals of stemming the spread of Protestantism and revitalizing the Catholic Church. It led to reforms within the Church, establishment of new religious orders, and the Council of Trent, which clarified Catholic doctrine and practices. Though it faced challenges and did not eliminate Protestantism, the Counter Reformation had a lasting impact on the Catholic Church.