This document provides an overview of the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory, including its roots in Roman Catholic tradition and early biblical concepts. It discusses the evolution of beliefs around Purgatory over time, including Martin Luther's initial acceptance and later rejection of the concept. Key points made include that Purgatory is meant to purify souls not totally rejected by God before they enter heaven, and the Catholic Church continues to observe All Souls Day in commemoration of those believed to be in Purgatory.

1. PURGATORY
Edward J. Hahnenberg, BA, MA, MA, Ed.S.

2. Purgatory – Introduction &
Early Biblical Concepts
 The term Purgatory comes from the Latin
purgare, to purify.The belief in Purgatory (or
state of purgation following the death of an
individual) is rooted in Roman Catholic
tradition.

3.  Although the decline in belief in the existence
of Purgatory by Protestants began during
Martin Luther’s time, it is interesting to note
that in Luther’s 95 theses, wherein he
questioned the abuses in the selling of
indulgences, he may have been initially in
agreement with the concept.

4.  The concept of a place of purgation for souls whose lives
have been morally mediocre should make sense
philosophically for Christians.The reasoning is simple:A
person, who, in his or her life has knowledge of God’s call to
perfection (Matthew 5:48), and chooses not to heed that
call wholeheartedly, enters into the next life hampered by a
spiritual uncleanness. This state of a soul which has not
rejected God totally demands cleansing before the
individual may enjoy the permanent happiness of heaven.
This philosophical reasoning leads to the conclusion that
there must be a state or condition, temporary to be sure,
wherein the soul realizes its inadequacy and is denied full
access to total union with its Creator until the dross of an
imperfect life is cleansed.

5.  It is as if the child who is called to dinner with
dirty hands is told by its parent to wash
before eating. However, this analogy is
imperfect, because there is no ability, on the
part of the soul, after death, to perform
meritorious actions.To improve on the
analogy, the parent must wash the child’s
hands before eating.


6. Luther’s 95 Theses &
Purgatory
 Protestantism has dismissed the concept, due to
its belief that Jesus Christ’s redemptive act
assures salvation for those who accept Christ as
their savior. Protestantism generally rejects the
effectiveness of good works as a necessary
condition for salvation, focusing instead on faith
in Christ and His love for those who accept Him.
However, as mentioned above, Luther, in theses
14-17, opened up the forum on Purgatory by
stating ideas, the purpose of which was to seek
debate on the following points:

7. Theses 14-17 (Luther)
 14.The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the
imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity,
great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the
fear.
 15.This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to
say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty
of Purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of
despair.
 16. Hell, Purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do
despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
 17.With souls in Purgatory it seems necessary that
horror should grow less and love increase.

8.  However, later in his life, Luther espoused the
doctrine of the sleep of the soul upon one’s death,
using this idea as a refutation of Purgatory and the
veneration of saints. While Luther is not always
consistent, the predominant note running all
through his writings is that the souls of the just sleep
in peace, without consciousness or pain. Luther
initially accepted the belief in Purgatory. In 1519 he
even said that its existence was undeniable. By 1530
he had changed his mind; he said that Purgatory
could not be proven to exist from biblical passages.
Later that year he rejected the concept of Purgatory
entirely.

9.  According to Luther’s “sleep of peace,” the
Christian dead are not aware of anything—see
not, feel not, understand not, and are not
conscious of passing events. Luther held and
periodically stated that in the sleep of death, as
in normal physical sleep, there is complete
unconsciousness and unawareness of the
condition of death or the passage of time. Death
is a deep, sound, sweet sleep. According to
Luther, the dead will remain asleep until the final
day of resurrection when both body and soul will
come together again.

10.  Catholicism, while considering the existence
of Purgatory to be dogma, has, at least in its
liturgy, moved away from earlier concepts of
Purgatory as a temporary Hell to one of lesser
concern for the ordinary member of the
faithful. Purgatory is rarely, if ever,
mentioned at wakes or funerals. In the official
liturgical prayers, while implied, the term is
never used.

11.  There is an implied reference to Purgatory in
some of the final commendation prayers. For
example: “Merciful Lord, turn toward us and
listen to our prayers: open the gates of
paradise to your servant and help us who
remain to comfort one another with
assurances of faith, until we all meet in Christ
...”

12. Cautions from Trent
 Even as far back as the 16th century’s Council of
Trent, Catholicism has been wary about too much
discussion of Purgatory:
 The more difficult and subtle questions, however,
and those that do not make for edification and from
which there is for the most part no increase in piety,
are to be excluded from popular instructions to
uneducated people. Likewise, things that are
uncertain or that have the appearance of falsehood
they shall not permit to be made known publicly and
discussed. (From the Decree Concerning Purgatory,
Session XXV)

13.  It is certain that there are still “things that are
uncertain” about the doctrine of Purgatory.True
to itsTradition, and despite the unknowns, the
Catholic Church continues to celebrate “All Souls
Day, on November 2nd, the day after the holyday
of All Saints. Local observance of a day
commemorating the dead in Purgatory can be
traced back 1500 years. In the eleventh century,
the abbot of Cluny, St. Odilo instituted its first
formal observance in France. From there All
Souls Day spread in Europe, until formal
approval for the whole Catholic Church came in
1748 under Pope Benedict XIV.

14. Judaism-Early Biblical
Concepts
 Judaism went through an evolution of
belief regarding the afterlife. Sheol was
often cited in the Psalms as the place
where souls went after death.At times in
the OldTestament Sheol carries with it a
sense of an unending state of misery, if not
one of pain and suffering, certainly one of
hopelessness.Yet, in other places, Sheol
takes on characteristics of the Purgatory of
Catholicism.

15.  The focus in the NewTestament is the “Good
News” of Jesus’ redemption found in the four
gospels, as well as the Gospel of Resurrection
found in the writings of St. Paul.The early
Christian preachers simply were not
concerned with Purgatory.


16. 2 Machabees
 In the OldTestament, prayer and sacrifice of
expiation for the dead appear only in the last two
centuries beforeChrist. Before this time no acts of
worship directed toward the dead seem to have
existed.
The only OT passage that can be cited in support of
the doctrine of Purgatory is 2 Mc 12.39-45. According
to the text, whenJudas Machabee and his men made
arrangements for the fitting burial of the soldiers of his
army who had died near Adullam, it was discovered
that they had worn pagan amulets, contrary to the
prescriptions of the Mosaic Law

17. 2 Machabees (cont’d)
 . Judas concluded that God had punished the
soldiers for this sinful practice; God's just
judgment was praised, and prayers were
offered on behalf of the victims. A collection of
12,000 drachmas was then gathered and sent
to Jerusalem to have expiatory sacrifices
offered for those who had fallen in battle.

18. 2 Machabees (cont’d)
 The author of 2 Machabees ... concludes that Judas
also believed in the resurrection of the dead. He,
therefore, praised Judas, who acted out of
consideration for the resurrection of the dead, and
argued that, if he had not hoped that the slain should
rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to
pray for them when dead; but if he did this with a view
toward the splendid reward that awaited those who
died in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.
Therefore,Judas made atonement for the dead, that
they might be freed from sin.

19. 2 Machabees (cont’d)
 According to the traditional interpretation of this
passage, the inspired author believed that those
who had otherwise led good lives were purified by
prayer and sacrifice from their sins.This essentially
is the Catholic doctrine on Purgatory. If, however,
as many modern exegetes hold, the author
regarded these sacrifices as necessary for the
eschatological resurrection of the dead soldiers,
then these passages do not directly refer to the
doctrine of Purgatory.

20. New Testament
 In the NewTestament, in the view of some
theologians, there is really nothing that
definitively asserts the existence of Purgatory.
Matthew 12:32 would seem to give an indirect
indication of Church teaching: And whoever
speaks a word against the Son of Man will be
forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy
Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in
the age to come.

21. New Testament (Cont’d)
 Further, Jesus’ promise to the criminal on the cross that he would be
with Jesus in paradise would seem to indicate a direct passage to
heaven, without the need for a purgatorial stopover.
 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviledJesus, saying, "Are
you not the Messiah?Save yourself and us." The other, however,
rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are
subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been
condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our
crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal."Then he said, "Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him,
"Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke
23:39-43)

22. New Testament (Cont’d)
 Origen (185-254), in Homilies on Jeremias, uses
verse 15 of 1 Corinthians as an indication of a
purgatorial state after death.
 13The work of each will come to light, for the Day
will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the
fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work.
14 If the work stands that someone built upon the
foundation, that person will receive a wage. 15
But if someone's work is burned up, that one
will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but
only as through fire.

23.  It would be St.Augustine (354-430) who
would, among the Church Fathers, be
especially influential in developing the quote
from Corinthians as the NewTestament basis
for the existence of a purgatorial state.
 Scholars today tend to favor the opinion that
Augustine read too much into the Pauline
reference.