The Catholic Church teaches that salvation is a free gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross. Good works are seen as a response to this gift, and are necessary for salvation. In Catholic countries, the Reformation was a period of reform and renewal within the Church, which sought to bring the Church back to its original teachings and practices. This included a renewed emphasis on the importance of faith and good works for salvation, as well as a renewed focus on the Bible as the source of Christian teaching.
