answersLogoWhite

0

Catholic Answer

The current protestant understanding is that the whole indulgence episode involved corruption and that indulgences were seen as a payment for the pardon of sin, a payment to avoid hell and go to heaven, but this was never correct.

There is a LOT of misunderstanding about indulgences. Even if properly explained to a non-Catholic Christian, there is still room for a lot of misunderstanding because the concepts being explained are not part of the Protestant heritage. Indulgences have nothing, whatsoever, to do with the forgiveness of sins, and they never have. It is impossible to gain an indulgence without *PRIOR* confession and absolution (in other words, the sin is already forgiving). In the economy of salvation, there is a debt incurred in any sin. This debt is NOT the part that needs forgiveness. Let me try to explain by an analogy. You are a kid playing Baseball in your neighborhood. You hit one "out of the ballpark" so to speak, and it goes flying clear across the yard and right smack through your neighbor's plate glass window. Now, you go across the street, ring the bell and apologize to Mrs. Smith, explaining what happened and that you are very sorry. Mrs. Smith forgives you (she has sons of her own). Are you off free? No. You are forgiven, but the window is still broken. Therefore, restitution is needed. In all sin there is damage to more than just ourselves, every sin affects the whole Body of Christ in some way, to some degree; and to that degree restitution must be made. One way of making up this restitution is the penance the priest assigns you as your penance at the end of confession. The repair work extends beyond the window, so to speak. If you have made a habit of that sin, you also need to repair the damage done to your soul by formation of that habit. Without getting into the whole history of indulgences, they are a form of the restitution that I have explained above FOR SINS WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN FORGIVEN. At one time in the church's history, money was involved. There was never such a thing as "buying" an indulgence - that was and is the sin of simony which is very serious. But, for instance, donating money for a charitable cause, such as building a church, was, at one time, one of the ways for people to earn an indulgence. They still had to go confession, be absolved, be in a state of grace, go to Holy Communion, and say certain prayers, then as now, but the work involved was a contribution of money. That is no longer permission due to the misunderstandings that it provoked.

So, to be clear THERE WAS NEVER, EVER SELLING OF PARDONS FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS; NEVER. The selling of any sacred thing or service of a priest has always been a serious sin.

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about General History

How did the church reform the papacy after the Protestant Reformation?

They stopped selling indulgences.


Which groups were impacted the most by the selling of indulgences?

The selling of indulgences primarily impacted the lower and middle classes, who often felt pressured to purchase them for the forgiveness of sins or to secure salvation for themselves or loved ones. This practice exploited their fears and economic vulnerabilities, leading to significant financial burdens. Additionally, it fueled discontent among reformers and intellectuals, such as Martin Luther, who criticized the moral implications and corruption associated with indulgences, ultimately contributing to the Protestant Reformation.


What were three areas of corruption within the Catholic Church that led to the Reformation?

The Catholic church abused its power by not helping the poor, corruptly selling indulgences and only allowing the Church to interpret the Bible. The Protestant Reformation occurred as a result.


How long did the selling of indulgences last?

The selling of indulgences, a practice primarily associated with the Catholic Church, gained significant prominence in the late Middle Ages, particularly from the 11th to the 16th centuries. It peaked during the early 16th century, leading to Martin Luther's 95 Theses in 1517, which criticized the practice and contributed to the Protestant Reformation. While the church officially curtailed the sale of indulgences in the wake of the Reformation, variations of the practice persisted in some forms until the Council of Trent (1545–1563) formally ended it.


What became known as the Reformation?

Reformation was a movement for reforming the Catholic Church and it led to the creation of Protestant Churches as well as serious social and political changes.It began with Martin Luther. He was a monk and a professor at Wittenberg, Germany. He was dissatisfied with traditional church theology and came to a conclusion that salvation was possible only by faith alone. He protested against the idea that salvation was something that could be bought and sold for money. He protested against indulgences (selling pardons for sins) and other church abuses in his 95-point theses which he nailed on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church in 1517.After he had been condemned for heresy, he translated the Bible into German and began to organise a new church. It was called Lutheran Church after him. Lutheranism quickly spread in the German states, France and elsewhere in Europe. Another leader of Reformation was John Calvin. He started his new church in Geneva, Switzerland. Calvinists believed that it was their responsibility to change society morally, introduced strict discipline and created the idea of predestination.

Related Questions

What was the practice of selling indulgences.?

the selling of pardons for your confessions inexchange for lucre for the priest


Who started the reformation and what was its biggest complaint?

Martin Luther, a teologist and monk wrote a 95 - point thesis on corruption of the Catholic Church, against selling pardons for money (indulgences) and other church abuses..


What does Luther say about buying pardons (indulgences) in his criticisms of the Catholic Church?

In his criticisms of the Catholic Church, Martin Luther argues that buying pardons (indulgences) is wrong and goes against the teachings of the Bible. He believes that salvation cannot be bought with money and that true repentance and faith are what lead to forgiveness from God. Luther condemns the practice of selling indulgences as a corrupt and exploitative way for the Church to make money.


What problems did the catholic church face during reformation?

During the Reformation, the Catholic Church faced challenges such as corruption among clergy, criticism of indulgences (selling of forgiveness), and questions about the authority of the Pope. The emergence of Protestant reformers like Martin Luther further divided the Church and led to a loss of followers in some areas.


What does the Pardoner claim to sell?

He is selling fake religious artifacts to the gullible. He admits that he has kept payments intended to go to the church as indulgences (payments for charitable works intended as penitence for sins).


How did the church reform the papacy after the Protestant Reformation?

They stopped selling indulgences.


The selling of indulgences by the Catholic church was a major contributing factor to the?

Protestant Reformation


Are you interested in selling your house for a cash offer?

Are you considering selling your house quickly for a cash payment?


How can I accept payment when selling a car?

To accept payment when selling a car, you can use methods like cash, cashier's check, or a bank transfer. Be cautious of personal checks and ensure the payment is secure before transferring ownership of the car.


How do you say the money you get for selling something?

"The money you get for selling something" can be expressed by using the words "payment", "revenue", or "proceeds".


Why did Martin Luther challenge the church?

His main purpose in challenging the Church with the posting of the 95 theses was that he disagreed with the selling of indulgences. An indulgence is the full or partial forgiveness of mortal sins for payment. These payments were going to the building of St. Peter's Basilica. They were basically get-into-heaven-for-a-price card.


By the time of the Reformation the selling of pardons (forgiveness of sins for payment) was seen as a form of?

Catholic Answer The current protestant understanding is that the whole indulgence episode involved corruption and that indulgences were seen as a payment for the pardon of sin, a payment to avoid hell and go to heaven, but this was never correct. There is a LOT of misunderstanding about indulgences. Even if properly explained to a non-Catholic Christian, there is still room for a lot of misunderstanding because the concepts being explained are not part of the Protestant heritage. Indulgences have nothing, whatsoever, to do with the forgiveness of sins, and they never have. It is impossible to gain an indulgence without *PRIOR* confession and absolution (in other words, the sin is already forgiving). In the economy of salvation, there is a debt incurred in any sin. This debt is NOT the part that needs forgiveness. Let me try to explain by an analogy. You are a kid playing Baseball in your neighborhood. You hit one "out of the ballpark" so to speak, and it goes flying clear across the yard and right smack through your neighbor's plate glass window. Now, you go across the street, ring the bell and apologize to Mrs. Smith, explaining what happened and that you are very sorry. Mrs. Smith forgives you (she has sons of her own). Are you off free? No. You are forgiven, but the window is still broken. Therefore, restitution is needed. In all sin there is damage to more than just ourselves, every sin affects the whole Body of Christ in some way, to some degree; and to that degree restitution must be made. One way of making up this restitution is the penance the priest assigns you as your penance at the end of confession. The repair work extends beyond the window, so to speak. If you have made a habit of that sin, you also need to repair the damage done to your soul by formation of that habit. Without getting into the whole history of indulgences, they are a form of the restitution that I have explained above FOR SINS WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN FORGIVEN. At one time in the church's history, money was involved. There was never such a thing as "buying" an indulgence - that was and is the sin of simony which is very serious. But, for instance, donating money for a charitable cause, such as building a church, was, at one time, one of the ways for people to earn an indulgence. They still had to go confession, be absolved, be in a state of grace, go to Holy Communion, and say certain prayers, then as now, but the work involved was a contribution of money. That is no longer permission due to the misunderstandings that it provoked. So, to be clear THERE WAS NEVER, EVER SELLING OF PARDONS FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS; NEVER. The selling of any sacred thing or service of a priest has always been a serious sin.