Nelson H. Minnich is professor in the Department of History and School of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America. Recipient of numerous fellowships and a member of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, he is a scholar of early sixteenth-century conciliar and papal history. He has served as the editor of The Catholic Historical Review since 2005.

• 1. Introduction Nelson H. Minnich; 2. The organizational structure of the Council of Trent Nelson H. Minnich; 3. Schools of theology at the Council of Trent Christian D. Washburn; 4. Scripture and traditions at the Council of Trent: the fourth and fifth sessions 1546 Wim François; 5. Original sin and justification Michael Root; 6. Sacraments in general, baptism and confirmation John F. Baldovin, S. J.; 7. The sacrament of penance at the Council: innovation as a confirmation of the centuries-old tradition of confession Roberto Rusconi; 8. Presence and sacrifice: the Council of Trent on the eucharist Bruce D. Marshall; 9. Bishops Vincenzo Lavenia; 10. The Tridentine Proposal for the formation of the clergy: the seminaries Simona Negruzzo; 11. Pastoral Care Celeste McNamara; 12. The Decree on Marriage Gabriella Zarri; 13. Reform of the Religious Orders Michael Tavuzzi; 14. Sacred Art Marcia Hall; 15. Sacred Music David Crook; 16. The Papacy and the Application of Conciliar Decrees Agostino Borromeo.

'This book offers a concise, yet considered, wide-ranging as well as refreshingly unanachronistic (and unpolemical) survey of a meeting whose outcomes have shaped the teaching and experience of being a member of the Roman Catholic Church for over four centuries. For that reason alone, this volume is to be welcomed, and its editor, the ever-attentive and eagle-eyed Nelson Minnich, warmly congratulated for bringing together and managing such a talented and well-qualified team of contributors to good effect.' Simon Ditchfield, Journal of Jesuit Studies