[jo kus]

From the article:

The question then became and this was a very important question…what does a person do to restore themselves to the state of grace they had before. The answer was they were to do works of penance. The Council of Trent put it this way…

"As regards those who, by sin, have fallen from the received grace of Justification, they may be again justified, when, God exciting them, through the sacrament of Penance they shall have attained to the recovery, by the merit of Christ, of the grace lost: for this manner of Justification is of the fallen the reparation: which the holy Fathers have aptly called a second plank after the shipwreck of grace lost."

Another fine example of lousy interpretation of the Council of Trent. The Sacrament of Penance is called "works of penance", which naturally twists the whole idea of the Sacrament. We are absolved of our sins BEFORE WE DO ANY PENANCE! We are forgiven based on our sorrow and the eternal value of Christ's death and resurrection applied to our own subjective redemption and sanctification. Thus, the author, yet again, misinterprets not only what Trent says, but adds fuel to the fire by mixing his own theological beliefs and contrasts them with the "incorrect teachings" of Catholicism. Again, a poor excuse of history when one presents an inaccurate picture of what Catholicism is. Isn't the above quote from Trent clear enough?

For any interested in understanding Catholicism, don't bother reading these "histories" as the definitive sense of the Reformation. If you can't even get Catholic teaching correct, how can you understand why the Protestants protested?

Regards

[annalex]

If you can't even get Catholic teaching correct, how can you understand why the Protestants protested?

LOL.

[HarleyD]

We are absolved of our sins BEFORE WE DO ANY PENANCE! We are forgiven based on our sorrow and the eternal value of Christ's death and resurrection applied to our own subjective redemption and sanctification. Thus, the author, yet again, misinterprets not only what Trent says, but adds fuel to the fire by mixing his own theological beliefs and contrasts them with the "incorrect teachings" of Catholicism.

I would direct you to the Catholic website newadvent under Penances. The website states very clear:

It is not true that for the Catholic the mere "telling of one's sins" suffices to obtain their forgiveness. Without sincere sorrow and purpose of amendment, confession avails nothing, the pronouncement of absolution is of no effect, and the guilt of the sinner is greater than before.

Catholic doctrine states that confession does not avail you anything. You must have a way of amending (indugences) your sin. This is consistent with the author.