The Catholic Reformation and the Protestant Reformation, though seemingly distinct in theory, are actually similar. Both Reformations were led by influential figures such as Martin Luther from the Protestant point of view and Ignatius Loyola and Pope Paul III from the Catholic point of view. Furthermore, both causes had the same deeper meaning. One of the issues that both focused on was to correct the institution or confront the immorality of clerics. Another was the lack of education of the clergy, and yet another was absenteeism and pluralism. So, although Catholicism and Protestantism differed in faith and doctrine, their respective reforms were aimed at changing the same basic pillars of the Church that had been lost.
Martin Luther, who led the Protestant Reformation, wasnt really anybody until he spoke up against the immoral teachings of the church directly with his ninety-five thesis. Like other dissenters, he was curious about the inability of the church to support their doctrines. But what had actually set him in motion after being aggravated with diminutive misdeeds of the Church was the sale of indulgences. This led him into writing down his judgments which were called the ninety-five thesis. By posting the ninety-five thesis on the door of a church he bluntly stated his mind. With the printing press now in service his ideas were passed throughout the country.
Then with support from princes and peasants his provocations grew into a new faith, that seemingly challenged the Church. Through his faith, Martin Luther directly challenged the idea of papal authority by altogether abolishing it in his own. He also personalized the faith by rewriting the bible into the vernacular. Ironically, though Martin Luthers main supporters were peasants, he did not support them in their revolt. He was a smart man who never risked his support from the monarch authority, which is why he was not punished by death like so many dissenters before him.
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Pope Paul III and Ignatius Loyola can be tightly compared with Martin Luther in their beliefs, but instead of separating from the church, they attempted to renovate it from within. Ignatius Loyola predominantly focused on education. Saying that is was inevitably important, he stressed that it was essential for clergy to know how to read and write. Loyola realized that within the church people had slowly forgotten that doing good works was important for a person to gain salvation. Henceforth, he organized missionary work which was both rewarding to the faith and himself. Loyola and his followers were then to be called Jesuits or Society of Jesus.
Although Loyola ostensibly split from the Church, he actually strengthened it. Pope Paul III took a different approach from that of Loyola. He created the Council of Trent to put the church in order. This reaffirmed Roman Catholic doctrines that had been questioned. The council prohibited simony and sale of indulgences with the support of well educated clergymen.
In comparison, Loyola, Pope Paul III, and Luther all had the impelling concern to change the quandary within the church. All were apprehensive with the selling of indulgences and the unsupported doctrines. Education became a factor in helping all these causes of reformation. To contrast the two, the Protestant Reformation was begun to reform the church but then splintered off and it was started by people who saw it decaying and becoming less ethically Christian. Comparably, the Catholic Reformation was begun so that they would not lose any more converts. The Protestant Reformation created a simpler and more basic church while the Catholic reformers kept their ceremonies but re-constructed their focus.
Two different angles, both drawn from the same need of change, reshaped the church in times of tribulation. Education, doctrines, and moral teachings were all common interests among the three reformers. Loyola, Pope Paul III, and Luther, although choosing different directions in reformation, all attempted to change the church for the same reasons. In short, the Catholic Reformation and the Protestant Reformation were nearly the same in purpose because they both strived to revolutionize the problems in the church.
