The Student Bible Atlas

Catholic–Protestant relations refers to the social, political and theological relations and dialogue between Roman Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians. This relationship began in the 16th century with the beginning of the Reformation and thereby Protestantism. A number of factors contributed to the Protestant Reformation – namely, disagreement on the nature of salvation and by extension a number of doctrines including the sale of indulgences and more. These disputes led to a schism whereby Protestants chose to split from the Roman Catholic Church, though often still defining themselves as catholic churches, and resulted in the Council of Trent (1545–1563) which clarified the Catholic approach to Protestantism from then on, declaring all forms of Protestantism heretical. A series of significant events followed which divided Europe and culminated in a number of states transitioning from Catholicism to Protestantism as their state religion.