Editing Council of Trent (section)

==== Pre-council ====
[[Pope Paul III]] (1534–1549), seeing that the [[Protestant Reformation]] was no longer confined to a few preachers, but had won over various princes, especially in Germany, to its ideas, desired a council. Yet when he proposed the idea to his [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinals]], it was almost unanimously opposed. Nonetheless, he sent [[nuncio]]s throughout Europe to propose the idea. Paul III issued a decree for a general council to be held in [[Mantua]], Italy, to begin on 23 May 1537.<ref>Joseph Francis Kelly, ''The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: A History'', 133.</ref> Martin Luther wrote the [[Smalcald Articles]] in preparation for the general council. The Smalcald Articles were designed to sharply define where the Lutherans could and could not compromise. The council was ordered by the Emperor and Pope Paul III to convene in Mantua on 23 May 1537.

It failed to convene after another war broke out between France and Charles V, resulting in a non-attendance of French [[prelate]]s. Protestants refused to attend as well. Financial difficulties in Mantua led the Pope in the autumn of 1537 to move the council to [[Vicenza]], where participation was poor. The council was postponed indefinitely on 21 May 1539.

Pope Paul III then initiated several internal Church reforms while Emperor Charles V convened with Protestants and Cardinal [[Gasparo Contarini]] at the [[Diet of Regensburg (1541)|Diet of Regensburg]], to reconcile differences. Mediating and conciliatory formulations were developed on certain topics. In particular, a two-part doctrine of ''[[Justification (theology)|justification]]'' was formulated that would later be rejected at Trent.<ref>[https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/catholic-or-protestant-the-story-of-contarini-and-the-reformation/ Catholic OR Protestant? The Story of Contarini and the Reformation], fn. 7.</ref> Unity failed between Catholic and Protestant representatives "because of different concepts of ''Church'' and ''Justification''".<ref>Jedin 85</ref>