Was Trent a reactionary council? Did Vatican II reaffirm Trent?

[brucestrom]

Was Trent a reactionary council? Did Vatican II reaffirm Trent?
In his book, “Trent, What Happened at the Council,” John O’Malley argues that Trent was not a reactionary council but was a truly reforming council, a council that agreed in part with the Protestant doctrines on such matters as grace and justification by faith, a council that reinvigorated the Catholic Church, a council that steered the Catholic Church on a path that many centuries later would result in the Vatican II council. Indeed, he sees Vatican II as affirming the doctrines of Trent, he sees Vatican II as a continuation of the reforms begun by the Council of Trent.

The Council of Trent is seen by many historians as a reactionary counter-reformation because soon after the council ended the Vatican gathered as many of the records of the proceedings it could find and locked them up in the Vatican Library. The Vatican was reacting to the Protestant polemics and hostility, they thought that the politics would be misinterpreted and vilified. In the decades before Vatican II the Vatican made these records available to scholars, and these sources enables scholars like O’Malley to have a more balanced view of Trent.

The following blogs give you a preview of the book and lectures, starting with the events and politics preceding the calling of the Council of Trent, including why .
Blog 1, Trent

The Council of Trent starts slowly with only a handful of bishops meeting at first, but they gather slowly and much is accomplished at the first session. Like Vatican II, attending theologians update the bishops on the current theological thinking. At both these councils the Church is first learning and pondering the theological questions, then the Church teaches the clergy and the laity.
Blog 2, Trent

After an interruption of many years, a new Pope and new Kings and Emperors agree to continue the council, tackling the tough questions of grace, original sin, and justification by faith.
Blog 3, Trent

O’Malley discusses the Trent decrees on the sacraments, why Trent was seen by many Catholics and Protestants as combative and reactionary, and its long term effect and some of the developments immediately after the Council of Trent adjourns.
Blog 4, Trent

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[brucestrom]

John O’Malley also recorded a series of lectures on the Council of Trent which are a great complement to the book. They begin with the events and politics preceding the calling of the Council of Trent, and why the Popes were so reluctant to call a church council that Trent was finally called into session just before Luther passed away.
Now You Know Media, O’Malley lectures on Trent

Christopher Bellito in this history agrees with O’Malley’s assessment that Vatican II built on the decrees of the Council of Trent:
Now You Know Media, Bellito lectures on History of Catholic Church

 

[Entwhistler]

From what I’ve heard Trent was a reform council. It was 40 years in the making and was not some fly-by-the-seat-of-their-cassock council.

Alas, it was 40 years too late to negate the Reformation.

 

[anon10271182]

I’m currently reading the Catechism of Trent. It’s a monumental work, exceedingly in depth on the Creed, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, etc. I’m taking it slow and savoring it.

 

[brucestrom]

Many of the Vatican II decrees quoted the decrees of Trent extensively, as does the Catholic Catechism. Anytime you see footnotes in the DS 1500’s, that refers to the Denzinger compilation, they are the decrees of Trent.