Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The first known use of plenary indulgences was in 1095 when Pope Urban II remitted all penance of persons who participated in the crusades and who confessed their sins. Later, the indulgences were also offered to those who couldn't go on the Crusades but offered cash contributions to the effort instead. In the early 1200s, the Church began claiming that it had a "treasury" of indulgences (consisting of the merits of Christ and the saints) that it could dispense in ways that promoted the Church and its mission. In a decretal issued in 1343, Pope Clement VI declared, "The merits of Christ are a treasure of indulgences."
In Luther's time, the pope delegated the privilege of dispensing indulgences. The Castle Church in Luther's Wittenberg, for example, was delegated the rare privilege granting full remission of all sins. Frederick the Wise, elector for the region of the Holy Roman Empire that included Wittenberg, took pride in a large collection of relics (over 19,000 holy bones and 5,000 other items*) of saints that supposedly provided the basis for granting indulgences that could reduce stays in purgatory by over 1.9 million years. These treasures were made available to believers on All Saints Day, November 1. By viewing the relics and making the stipulated contribution, the believer could reduce a stay and purgatory while providing much needed financial support for Castle Church and the University of Wittenberg.
Today http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
The announcement in church bulletins and on Web sites has been greeted with enthusiasm by some and wariness by others. But mainly, it has gone over the heads of a vast generation of Roman Catholics who have no idea what it means: “Bishop Announces Plenary Indulgences.”
In recent months, dioceses around the world have been offering Catholics a spiritual benefit that fell out of favor decades ago — the indulgence, a sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife — and reminding them of the church’s clout in mitigating the wages of sin.
There are partial indulgences, which reduce purgatorial time by a certain number of days or years, and plenary indulgences, which eliminate all of it, until another sin is committed. You can get one for yourself, or for someone who is dead. You cannot buy one — the church outlawed the sale of indulgences in 1567 — but charitable contributions, combined with other acts, can help you earn one. There is a limit of one plenary indulgence per sinner per day.
The first known use of plenary indulgences was in 1095 when Pope Urban II remitted all penance of persons who participated in the crusades and who confessed their sins. Later, the indulgences were also offered to those who couldn't go on the Crusades but offered cash contributions to the effort instead. In the early 1200s, the Church began claiming that it had a "treasury" of indulgences (consisting of the merits of Christ and the saints) that it could dispense in ways that promoted the Church and its mission. In a decretal issued in 1343, Pope Clement VI declared, "The merits of Christ are a treasure of indulgences."
In Luther's time, the pope delegated the privilege of dispensing indulgences. The Castle Church in Luther's Wittenberg, for example, was delegated the rare privilege granting full remission of all sins. Frederick the Wise, elector for the region of the Holy Roman Empire that included Wittenberg, took pride in a large collection of relics (over 19,000 holy bones and 5,000 other items*) of saints that supposedly provided the basis for granting indulgences that could reduce stays in purgatory by over 1.9 million years. These treasures were made available to believers on All Saints Day, November 1. By viewing the relics and making the stipulated contribution, the believer could reduce a stay and purgatory while providing much needed financial support for Castle Church and the University of Wittenberg.
Today http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
The announcement in church bulletins and on Web sites has been greeted with enthusiasm by some and wariness by others. But mainly, it has gone over the heads of a vast generation of Roman Catholics who have no idea what it means: “Bishop Announces Plenary Indulgences.”
In recent months, dioceses around the world have been offering Catholics a spiritual benefit that fell out of favor decades ago — the indulgence, a sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife — and reminding them of the church’s clout in mitigating the wages of sin.
There are partial indulgences, which reduce purgatorial time by a certain number of days or years, and plenary indulgences, which eliminate all of it, until another sin is committed. You can get one for yourself, or for someone who is dead. You cannot buy one — the church outlawed the sale of indulgences in 1567 — but charitable contributions, combined with other acts, can help you earn one. There is a limit of one plenary indulgence per sinner per day.
This is just another teaching that puts Jesus in the shadows. Jesus died for our sins. His work at the cross is sufficient in putting all the sins of the world away forever. This teaching does not promote that. It points to man and what man can do about sins they believe Jesus did not bare in His own body at the cross. It is a direct insult to the grace of God, showing this idea that a man could pay to have his own punishments reduced and sins forgiven.
Acts 10:43 NAS "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
This is just another teaching that puts Jesus in the shadows. Jesus died for our sins. His work at the cross is sufficient in putting all the sins of the world away forever. This teaching does not promote that. It points to man and what man can do about sins they believe Jesus did not bare in His own body at the cross. It is a direct insult to the grace of God, showing this idea that a man could pay to have his own punishments reduced and sins forgiven.
Acts 10:43 NAS "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
Indulgences are now the domain of some TV Evengelicals:
Charity in the name of Christ and go to His Work or the Great Commission , where faith is expressed is never for the salvation of the Lord , even paying tithes will never bring salvation or keep People saved , But Jesus will bless the people who give in this life , as the prosperity of Christ is real and never of salvation , which indulgences tried to bring ,.................... Even in Act 8: 9-24 A man called Simon the sorcerer try to pay indulgences for to get the baptism of Holy Spirit , and Peter the apostle condemned him for trying .......................Still The love and charity are part of the heart of the will of God that the believers give , which can be a point of Contact to receive from Christ , as Jesus promised that if believer give , He will give more , and many believers will not give and the Lord will hold back blessing from the spirit of greed and covetousness .......
In its latest attempt to keep up with the times the Vatican has married one of its oldest traditions to the world of social media by offering "indulgences" to followers of Pope Francis' tweets.
In its latest attempt to keep up with the times the Vatican has married one of its oldest traditions to the world of social media by offering "indulgences" to followers of Pope Francis' tweets.
I followed him....decided to try to sell my indulgence on ebay. Unfortunately I didn't get any bidders.
I have no problem with indulgences. I have no problem with them if they are obtained by monetary offering as well.
And I suspect it's quite a sacrifice for some people of tiny incomes to give up a little of their money that may be used to help those even much worse off than them.
Like money going to help the Filipina that has so little food she buys food cooked on open stands in the Tondo slum of Manila, that was scavenged through bags of garbage filled with food almost wholly eaten by people before being discarded, then picked out, washed, then recooked and served with rice.
So, yeah, I've no problem with a Western college student or Western poor person giving up a little of their change for indulgences, especially if the money goes to building cathedrals, paying rent of a drug rehab facility, or going to provide food at Catholic run free-pantries in places like the Philippines.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
