Purgatory

[Solace Girl]

I have no recollection of being taught about purgatory in my religious education. On the contrary, I think the first time I studied purgatory in any detail was in World History class in high school. My teacher essentially told us that it was invented so that the church could collect money from nobles who were afraid that their relative's souls would not get into heaven. In college I learned a little about Dante's version of Purgatory, but we only read Inferno in Heritage class.

That is the line between those headed to Purgatory versus those that claimed to be Christian but really weren't?

Please move this thread to another section if one is more appropriate.

 

[Rhamiel]

you were not taught about Purgatory in your religious education class?

what did they teach you?
these are dark days we live in, where many reject the teachings of the Church
many do not care to teach the true faith anymore, instead the chase after vain innovations made up by men

Purgatory did develop over the centuries
but we can see very early on that Christians prayed for those who had died
we can see that St. Perpetua prayed for a loved one who died (I think she said it was her brother?) in her visions first he was in rags to symbolize the suffering of Purgatory and then after she prayed for him, she had a vision of him dressed in princely finery
Christians have always prayed for the souls of their loved ones who passed on

if they were heaven, they would not need our prayers
if they were in hell, our prayers would do them no good

yes, there have been abuses of selling indulgences

 

[football5680]

My teacher essentially told us that it was invented so that the church could collect money from nobles who were afraid that their relative's souls would not get into heaven.

Your teacher was obviously a deluded anti-Catholic Protestant. The idea of Purgatory can be found in the book of Maccabees which predates Christianity so the only way to uphold this argument is to say that the Catholic Church has a time machine that they used to make sure the idea was in place before the Church even existed.

In college I learned a little about Dante's version of Purgatory, but we only read Inferno in Heritage class.

Dante's version is found within the Divine comedy which is an interesting and entertaining read but it isn't a theological work.

Purgatory is basically a temporary state of purification after death. Everybody in purgatory is destined for heaven so it isn't even a middle ground. Some individuals in the Church may have abused the idea for their own gain but they were going against what the Church teaches so it does not reflect upon Catholicism.

 

[RileyG]

Ugh. Your history teacher was wrong. The catacomb's on the early Christians had "Pray for *name* who had gone before you in faith".

It's a very ancient belief. The Jews believed/believe in it but did not call it purgatory.

 

[ebia]

Um, praying for the dead doesn't necessarily imply purgatory (or vice-versa).

 

[Davidnic]

Purgatory is an old belief. It was not created for money.

On purgatory, after the Scripture and Tradition; a general view is it is a place of purification. We are forgiven our sins but the effects of them still last. An analogy I use is this:

I think of purgatory like this. You are given an invitation to a party by the king(The offer of salvation). You accept and he is overjoyed to have you. He tells you in the invitation that he has prepared a safe road for you (this is the teaching of the Church). Removed it of filth, set up places to bath on the way and guarded it from robbers with your own personal guard (Sacraments in particular Reconciliation). And on the invitation is a drawing of you that looks amazing that will serve to identify you to the city guards (You with the Sanctifying grace in a sinless state). This is you drawn in a way that you have never seen. Obviously, you think, this was made by someone who sees you with much love and dignity.

You take the long trip there. It is long and difficult but you always keep going because you love the king and want to see Him.

You take some shortcuts that are not on the kings protected roads (sin). Even though he has told you to stick to the safe path that He prepared for you to travel to him. When you go off the path you get you get dirty on ill prepared and inadequate roads. You stop at places along the way to get clean but can never get fully clean again (Sin is removed but it still effects you), but you still can not resist and at times depart from the King's road.

Finally you get to the Kings city. You took a poor road not too long ago and although you got back on the King's road and got to the city...you are dirty. You don't want to show yourself to the king like this. And the guards are not even sure you are invited since you do not look like the person they are told to expect or the drawing you carry. You just have so much of the dust and dirt of the strange road on you. (The remains of the sin and its effects)

So the guards point out there is an inn right outside the city walls (Purgatory) and there you can get bathed, clean clothes and become presentable. Even as you are getting ready you are longing to see your friend who invited you to come to him. But you can not hurry...you get every bit of dust off. You get all your clothes clean and fully prepared. Because until then it would just not be right to go see the King. Sometimes the scrubbing hurts to get all of the dirt off. But you know at the end the King is waiting.

Eventually the guards come and get you because the King has asked for you personally and you fit perfectly the description He has given. You are now, exactly as the King has always seen you...clean, dignified and loved. Even when you did not see yourself like that, He always knew what you looked like at your best.

Imperfect analogy but one I've always liked in my head to put all the foundational teaching in the proper place.

 

[Fantine]

I think of purgatory as this:

God is love, and his love exists throughout the entire universe, often unrecognized by people in their loneliness and isolation and shortcomings.

Observing a soul in Purgatory is like watching an icicle thaw in the strong sun...eventually God's love will permeate all the barriers and obstacles of its isolation and unworthiness and self-centeredness. Perhaps that's why it's described as a "fire," but I look at it as the kind of fire you have greeting you in your home on a snowy day, inviting and warm and eventually working its miracle on our frozen bodies.

If you think that's far-out, you should hear what the RCIA leader, a nun, said about Purgatory when I was an RCIA sponsor.

 

[Rhamiel]

I think of purgatory as this:

God is love, and his love exists throughout the entire universe, often unrecognized by people in their loneliness and isolation and shortcomings.

Observing a soul in Purgatory is like watching an icicle thaw in the strong sun...eventually God's love will permeate all the barriers and obstacles of its isolation and unworthiness and self-centeredness. Perhaps that's why it's described as a "fire," but I look at it as the kind of fire you have greeting you in your home on a snowy day, inviting and warm and eventually working its miracle on our frozen bodies.

If you think that's far-out, you should hear what the RCIA leader, a nun, said about Purgatory when I was an RCIA sponsor.

that is a good description

we do not know what Purgatory is like
some people think it is painful, some people think it is not
that is open to different interpretations