Did the reformation strengthen Catholicism or weaken it in Europe?

Answer 1

A:

Arguably, the Catholic Church became spiritually atronger because it was forced to face up to its moral failings in past centuries, but at the same time weaker because it could no longer command blind obedience from all Christians. This last was a gradual process and even up to Second Vatican Council in 1965, it was the Church's view that only the Catholic Church had the right to freedom from persecution.

Answer 2

That depends entirely on what you are looking at. Catholicism as such is guaranteed by God to be here until the end of the world, and as St. Paul tells us that the Catholic Church is the Body of Christ, any speaking of it being weakened or strengthened is kind of nonsensical. However, in absolute terms of number of people, the Church could be said to be weaken by the fact that various rulers throughout Europe forced their subjects to embrace Protestantism by outlawing the Catholic Church in their territories. This happened most notably in northern Germany, England, and Scotland. In terms of the education of the clergy, the numbers of Catholics entering religious orders and the priesthood, and the overall knowledge of the faith, then the protestant revolt greatly strengthened the Church.