Indulgences (Teachings of the Orthodox Church) Christianity. Orthodoxy. Catholicism. Sense of life. Articles for Christians.
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;'                but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.                If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.                If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.                'It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,'                but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.                'Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,'                but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;                nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.                Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black.                But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.                'You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'*                But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.                If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.                Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.                Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.                'You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor,* and hate your enemy.*'                But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,                that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.               
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Indulgences (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)
   

QUESTION:

The Roman Catholic Pope recently proclaimed "indulgences" as a means to hasten entry into heaven (at least according to what I read in the popular press).

Does Orthodoxy share this belief or one similar to it? If not, do you consider this one of several major differences between Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy?

ANSWER:

While this is a complex issue, I will try to offer a clear and concise response.

The Roman Catholic tradition of indulgences dates back several centuries. In essence -­ and in short! -­ it was taught that Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the saints had more "merits" than necessary. As a result, these "extra merits" may be "transferred" to others and, consequently, used toward their salvation. Hence, in this framework, a person who would be expected to spend time in purgatory [the Orthodox Church does not believe in purgatory as a "third" or "alternate" state to heaven and hell] may have that time reduced through:

merits received by performing certain acts or prayers to which indulgences are attached, or

having the indulgences applied to the acts or prayers of another person transferred to them

This, according to this line of reasoning, reduces, or, in the case of a "plenary" indulgence, completely eliminates the amount of time one would have to spend in purgatory, during which his or her sins are "purged" in preparation for entrance into heaven.

I apologize for the brevity of this response, but in essence this is the nature of indulgences as seen by Roman Catholicism.

There is no similar concept of indulgences within Orthodox Christianity.






Published in January 2011.









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