The conclave of cardinals in Rome is tasked with selecting the new Pope for 1.4 billion Catholics, amidst a fundamental question about the Church's future direction. Will the new leader continue the progressive approach of Pope Francis or revert to the conservatism of his predecessors? Historical parallels are drawn to past pivotal moments, such as the Council of Trent's response to the Protestant Reformation, which chose an affirmatively Catholic path. The article discusses how visual arts and architecture reflected this historic struggle to maintain Catholic identity against reformist pressures.
The animating question facing the conclave was whether the cardinals want the Church to continue in the direction of a broader, more capacious understanding of the faith as articulated by Francis.
From 1545 to 1560, the Council of Trent met to determine the Church's response to the Protestant Reformation, ultimately moving towards a more Catholic affirmation.
John Updike described baroque church interiors as incredible visual patisserie, meant to stun Hussite peasants back into the bosom of Catholicism.
The Church has stood at similar crossroads several times in the modern era, akin to the past challenges in finding its direction.
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