Written by Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), the Disputationes de controversiis christianae fidei (also called Controversiae) were the earliest attempt to systematize the various religious disputes between Catholics and Protestants. This work was used by Protestant theologians as representative of Tridentine Catholic theology. Bellarmine’s comprehensive and thoughtful critique of Protestantism provides a useful opportunity to review the core elements that were at stake in the theological debate after the Council of Trent. It is an enlightening source for all those interested in the Roman Catholic evaluation of Protestantism and vice versa.
