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Purgatory

Purgatory. E. Smith. Background. Illness and plague were running rampant Black Death Measles, mumps, chickenpox Influenza Injury/Infection Death due to complication in childbirth

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Purgatory

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  1. Purgatory E. Smith

  2. Background • Illness and plague were running rampant • Black Death • Measles, mumps, chickenpox • Influenza • Injury/Infection • Death due to complication in childbirth • People were dying right and left, and the families left behind wanted to do anything in their power to insure that their loved ones made it into heaven. Because no one got into heaven unless they were in a state of total grace, it was believed they were in a place called Purgatory – a state of purification between heaven and hell.

  3. What Is Purgatory? • According to the doctrine of 1438, Purgatory is defined as: “The souls of those who after their baptism have sinned, but have afterwards sincerely repented and confessed their sins, though unable to perform the [penance] laid upon them by their spiritual father, or bring forth fruits of repentance sufficient to atone for their sins, these souls are purified by the fires of purgatory, some sooner, others slower, according to their sins; and then, after their purification, depart for eternal bliss. The prayers of the priest, liturgies, and deeds of charity conduce much to their purification.” --Julian, Cardinal Cesarni to the Eastern Orthodox Fathers at the Council of Ferrara-Florence, Session VI, June 1438 It is usually thought of as having some position in space, distinct from heaven and hell, but any theory of it’s exact location , such as Dante Alighieri’s description, are presumed imaginative.

  4. So - It Works Like This: • Earthly Existence + Good action = Heaven • Earthly Existence + Bad actions = Hell • Earthly Existence + Mixed actions = Purgatory The Catholic doctrine of Purgatory argues clearly that this place of purification allows a sinner who repents late in life a chance to make perfect contrition.

  5. What Is The Importance? • Considering the mortality rate due to plague, war, childbirth, etc., and the views of Purgatory at the time, it was easy to see why people were desperate to do anything to get the souls of dead family members out of such a place. • Prayer on behalf of the dead became a part of everyday life for the people in the Middle Ages. • The sale of indulgences by corrupt priests and bishops skyrocketed.

  6. Did Other Religions Believe in Purgatory? • To a certain degree, yes, they did. Because Christianity arose from Judaism, both religions shared many of the same doctrinal beliefs. The Jewish Talmud hints at a type of Purgatory in Sabbath 33b and Rosh HaShanah 16b-17a. While that alone is not evidence enough, it is important to note that the Jews do, in fact, pray for their dead. • The Islamic belief of Barzakh is believed by some to be related to Purgatory, but the idea is greatly disputed.

  7. Bibliography • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purgatory • http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm • http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2006/03/biblical-overview-on-penance-purgatory.html • http://www.chnetwork.org/purg1.htm • World History - Community and Change by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. • Catechism of the Catholic Church • Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 18: 1964 edition

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