How did people feel about the sale of indulgences to forgive sins?

Answer 1

Protestants feel as most modern Catholics also, probably, feel - that indulgences represent one of the most shameful episodes in Church history. Indulgences - the sale of certificates 'guaranteeing' a reduced time in purgatory before entrance to heaven for those for whom they were bought - fall foul of Christian beliefs at several levels. Examples include: 1. Purgatory in itself goes against all that Christ taught. In the Book of Romans Paul makes it very clear that we are saved through God's grace and not through buying our way into heaven. The Book of Romans was the catalyst that caused Martin Luther, whilst reading it, to have a conversion through the Holy Spirit, and inspired him to nail his theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg where he castigated the Church for its corruption. That simple but profound deed was instrumental in kick-starting the Reformation and the formation of the Protestant Church, and, in turn and to be fair to the Catholic church, precipitated a reform within the Catholic church itself, where they had had a nasty wake-up call and decided that they too should put their own house in order from within. 2. The sale of indulgences meant that the rich could buy themselves into heaven (or, at least out of purgatory) which was totally against what Christ taught. His mission was with the poor, he championed the oppressed, he taught that the first in this life would be the last in the next, and maintained that we would be saved through his blood and God's grace and not by buying our way in. 3. The very concept of purgatory was denied by Christ himself. On the cross he told one of the thieves - the one who prayed for forgiveness - that 'this very day you will be with me in Paradise' - not in some half-way house called Purgatory. These three examples go part way to giving some idea what the majority of Protestants regard as their beliefs where indulgences are concerned. Of course, there will be those who think otherwise, but as a generalisation, the episode of selling these 'guarantees' was one of the most corrupt actions within the history of the Christian church, and is a real example of just what can go wrong when what should have been a loving organisation can become infiltrated by those who desired the ways of the world - riches and fame and power, rather than Christian service and love.

Answer 2

Many people were outraged by the sale of indulgences, seeing it as a corrupt practice that exploited peoples' fears and faith for financial gain. This practice was one of the catalysts for the Protestant Reformation, as individuals such as Martin Luther spoke out against it and called for reform within the Catholic Church.

Answer 3

Indulgences seem to have been popular among the well off. Not only did they supposedly ensure immediate entry into heaven without time in purgatory, they were also a licence to sin without the need for confession or penance.

Some were more sceptical. They saw indulgences as going too far, risking the reputation of the Church for the sake of money. Martin Luther did not initially seek to abolish the sale of indulgences, merely to reform their use.