Britannica Sources used in this answer

What were the Roman Inquisition and the Index of Forbidden Books intended to do?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Title page of a 1568 Welsh Christian doctrine book by Morys Clynnog, featuring Welsh text and a woodcut illustration of the crucifixion of Jesus at the center. — Counter-Reformation Title page of *Athravaeth Gristnogavl* (1568; “Christian Doctrine”), a Roman Catholic catechism translated into Welsh by Morys Clynnog as part of the church's Counter-Reformation efforts.

The Roman Inquisition and the Index Librorum Prohibitorum were key instruments of the Counter-Reformation intended to preserve Catholic orthodoxy and protect the faithful from perceived threats to their spiritual well-being.

The Roman Inquisition

Established in 1542, the Roman Inquisition was primarily designed to combat Protestantism, which the church defined as heresy. Beyond addressing theological dissent, it served to supervise and discipline the moral conduct of both clergy and laity, facilitating the implementation of reforms mandated by the Council of Trent.1

The Index of Forbidden Books

First published in 1559, the Index was a list of books deemed dangerous to the faith or morals of Roman Catholics. It functioned as a tool of censorship to prevent the spread of Protestant writings and other works considered theologically erroneous or immoral. By identifying and proscribing these texts, the church aimed to prevent the contamination of the faith and the corruption of its members' moral standards.12