Great summary of the Council of Trent

Keep in mind that these are historical lectures, which tend to be a bit dry. Nevertheless it is well worth your time to invest in these lectures assuming you're interested in learning about the 16th century council that became the bulwark for reforming the Catholic Church for centuries to come. Fr. O'Malley, a truly gifted historian, summarizes not only the decrees and decisions of the council, but also the events that led up to the council. Highly recommended for Church historians, and anyone who has a desire to better understand the what and the whys of the Council.

4 persone l'hanno trovata utile

Council of Death

The narrator was not concise enough to truly understand or believe why the Tridentine councils were pivotal for the gospel to be proclaimed with clarity, simplicity, and overall truthfulness. regarding the importance for the need of a reformation that would result in supernaturally changed lives.

2 persone l'hanno trovata utile

A Painfully Boring Whitewash of History

If you actually manage to get through this painfully boring lecture you will learn almost nothing of consequence, mostly just numerous trivial details. The author/narrator seems to only give a cursory wink and the true intention of the Council which was to answer the Reformation with a set of heretical creeds declaring that violation of any would result in the person(s) being anathematized. The author/narrator seems more inclined to mostly ignore the blasphemy that came out this antichrist council.

I suppose I should have known better since the author/narrator is a Catholic Priest but I figured I'd give him the benefit of the doubt in hoping for candor and sincerity. Those hopes fell flat. I suppose it would be like asking a Nazi if Hitler had won WWII what the war was about. Although Rome didn't win the "war" and thank God that people got away from their tyranny.
My advice, don't waste your time here, get a different book.

2 persone l'hanno trovata utile

Fantastic lectures on Trent and the time period!

These lectures were fantastic overviews of the time period leading up to the Council of Trent, the period during which the Council convened, and the post conciliar period of implementation.

I very much appreciated the structured and clear movement through political, economic and cultural influences during the time periods discussed and how they impacted the Council.

Also, I was very happy to understand more clearly that there were implementations that took place after the Council which were not done by the Council itself; despite the names given to them today. For instance, the Catechism of the Council of Trent was a response to the Council's call for reform in preaching and educating priests to preach well.

A+

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

Fr. O'Malley Consistently Serves a Need

This lecture series, like several of his others on audible that I have listened to provides a nuanced, approachable, and yet still in-depth look into the Council of Trent. For anyone that consistently listens to overconfident statements on social media about ecumenical councils from people who have not studied the actual documents, this is a great place to listen to a calm voice of reason. Fr. O'Malley avoids emotionally charged statements and relies on texts and academic studies of the council, and it is amazing to have his knowledge so readily available.

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

boring, not about the catechism of trent

It was a dragged out history with no reading of the actual catechism. It was informative if you want to hear the historical account in general .
However if you were looking to hear the actual catechism then the book is not so good.

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

Great service to students of the Reformation

John provides a very rich historical context to the council. Important relationship tensions between leaders, imperial and clerica, leading up to the council. The two agendaof the council, doctrine and reform of the episcopal, were undertaken, but no reform of the papal institution was effected largley due to papal resistance. As a story, the topic is just too large to adequately narrate in 4 hours. This work is scholarship explaining people places and events but simultaneously points to a much larger body of scholarship like Herbert Jedin four vols on the council.