Teresa of Avila was an important figure in the Counter-Reformation in that she provided a mystical, spiritual approach to finding connection with God.
The Protestant movement had been, in part, a reaction against the rigidity and dogmatism of the Roman Catholic Church. Common people didn't feel well connected to the faith, but more that it was just a matter of rituals and obedience. Teresa of Avila, by telling the stories of her own mystical visions, was providing a more heartfelt, spiritualized point of view. This was not immediately accepted within Roman Catholicism. Her own collection of mystical books was burned by the inquisition, and her book about her own experiences (<em>The Life of Teresa of Jesus</em>) faced scrutiny and criticism from inquisitors as well. But ultimately, after her death, Teresa's way of faith based in visions and experiences of Jesus became popular and more acceptable as a way for Catholic faith to find expression.
