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Perry and Sandi Mowbray wrote:

Hi, guys—

I have a question about indulgences, probably more than one, because I know nothing about them.

One of my wife's friends (who was quite instrumental in our conversion to the Catholic Church), has spoken to her about indulgences, and the impression I get is that they are:

  • bad
  • wrong
  • completely un-Scriptural, and
  • should be very much avoided

Nevertheless, I was on some other Catholic web site where there seemed to be a lot of material suggesting that they were approved by the Church. Because this material was in discussion format, it made it very difficult for me to make heads or tails of it.

Because I know nothing about all this, I flounder when confronted by:

The Church is wrong; look at indulgences.

I guess this could be quite a big area for discussion. I don't mind if your answer contained links to documents that fill out your answer.

Your last answer to one of my questions was awesome!

God bless,

Perry

  { Are indulgences wrong and un-Scriptural or does the Church approve of them — and, if so, why? }

Eric replied:

Hi, Perry —

You said:
I have a question about indulgences, probably more than one, because I know nothing about them.

You are quite right then to seek to learn more about them!

One of my wife's friends (who was quite instrumental in our conversion to the Catholic Church), has spoken to her about indulgences, and the impression I get is that they are:

  • bad
  • wrong
  • completely un-Scriptural, and
  • should be very much avoided

That is a common opinion; but its origins are not Catholic. (Especially, since there are explicit Scripture references in the Catholic bible.) While there have been abuses in the past, the Church has always been careful to distinguish between legitimate use and abuse. Moreover, there are a lot of misunderstandings about indulgences floating around.

They are not about buying forgiveness, nor do they add to the finished work of Christ.

Indulgences are very much alive and well. They are discussed in the new Catechism (see below) and in fact, the Church recently issued a whole new handbook on indulgences.

My opinion is that once you strip away the emotional and historical baggage, look past the abuses, and see them in the proper light, indulgences are basically a formalization of rather intuitive principles. One might be turned off by the way they are formalized, but the principles are still valid.

You said:
Because I know nothing about all this, I flounder when confronted by:

The Church is wrong: look at indulgences.

I guess this could be quite a big area for discussion. I don't mind if your answer contained links to documents that filled out your answer.

Your last answer, to one of my questions, was awesome!

Oh, good; I was going to apologize for sending you off to a web site address but James Akin really does a fantastic job of explaining it. James is an apologist for Catholic Answers and runs a site with some really good material at:

His explanation of indulgences, including a quote from the Catechism and common myths about indulgences is called A Primer On Indulgences (from Catholic Answers).

Yours in Christ,

Eric Ewanco

Terry replied:

Hi, Perry —

The queries about indulgences need, I think, to include the following explanations:

Much confusion was caused in the past regarding "x" number of days indulgence and many people, including some well instructed Catholics, assumed this was a remittance of that number of days in Purgatory. Not So!

The number of days ascribed to indulgences was that by completing a particular activity.

For example, so many prayers, or a visit to shrine, etc. was equivalent to a sinner completing that number of days of penance. (i.e. in the Early Church, sackcloth and ashes)

It was never to be interpreted as a number of days in Purgatory: With God, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. (2 Peter 3:8) We cannot know (this side of the grave) how long anyone will spend in Purgatory. The only thing we do know is, God is infinitely Just as well as infinitely Merciful, and that we have the gift of free will to accept or reject His Mercy.

Also remember, Jesus gave Peter the keys to loosen or bind. Whatever he binds on earth is considered bound in Heaven. (Matthew 16:13-19) Therefore indulgences are an act of mercy by Holy Mother Church, in her solicitude for her children. It is most unfortunate when Catholics neglect and reject this wonderful gift from their Mother, the Church.

Terry Quinn
BA (Divinity) Hons, MA Theology (Marian Studies)
England

Mike replied:

Hi, Perry —

I just wanted to add a bit to what Eric and Terry have said.

Those in Purgatory are saved souls. Purgatory is like the Holy Hospital of Heaven.

If you struggle with the concept of Purgatory this web posting will help:

You said:
One of my wife's friends (who was quite instrumental in our conversion to the Catholic Church), has spoken to her about indulgences, and the impression I get is that they are:

  • . . .
  • . . .
  • completely un-Scriptural, and
  • should be very much avoided

indulgences are Scriptural:

Check this section out from my Scripture Passages web page:

A Biblical defense for Catholic teachings
https://www.AskACatholic.com/ScripturePassages

Indulgences.

All the main ideas upon which an indulgence is based are found in the Bible: the Church's power to bind and loose, vicarious atonement among members of the Church, and penance. Although the doctrine has developed, like all others, it is not unbiblical.

2 Corinthians 2:6-11
St. Paul himself issued an indulgence by lessening the temporal penance for sin of a straying brother.
1 Corinthians 5:3-5
which he had previously imposed on him.

The Catholic Church adds no more in essence to the practices and theological presuppositions of indulgences than these two passages.

If you want more, this Primer on Indulgences from our colleagues at Catholic Answers may help.

The scandal of selling indulgences is thought to be the precipitating cause of the Protestant Revolt. The Catholic Church forbade the sale of indulgences at the Council of Trent (abuses of the practice were previously condemned in Council in 1215, 1245, 1274 and 1312). But Martin Luther went beyond a critique of the abuse of indulgences, and declared the entire practice null and void and contrary to the Bible. This is not correct:

Many saints suffer more than enough to satisfy God's justice. Jesus Christ (and Mary in Catholic theology) didn't have any sin and yet suffered greatly. The Catholic Church gives credit for this suffering to persons who have repented. Thus it indulges these persons, not in their sin, but in taking away punishment for the sins. This act is called an indulgence. The Catholic Church will not do away with this beautiful concept and practice (rightly understood) because of the occasional criminal misuse of it in the past. The doctrine of indulgences is closely connected with the Communion of Saints. The transfer of merit through an indulgence is a profound act of "community" and a taking seriously of the communal and unified nature of the Mystical Body of Christ.

In a papal decree given in 1968 by Pope Paul VI, it was made abundantly clear that the pious disposition of the seeker of an indulgence was of paramount importance. In other words, an indulgence was not a piece of magic which existed apart from the spiritual state of its user. It is inconsistent for Protestants to find fault with the Catholic Church for mitigating the austerities of penance in granting an indulgence since their own fundamental principle is the notion of faith alone without good works (as pertaining to the nature of salvation). Thus, indulgences are merely a limited application of a concept which Protestantism raises to universality.

Note: indulgences shouldn't be avoided, rather they should be used and practiced by us to help the Holy Souls who are NOW being purified of their attachments to self. If you are interested in helping and praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, check out my other website:

I hope this helps,

Mike

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