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Summary: Indulgences, Church Discipline & Celebration of Sacred Rites
Review: Ecclessiastical Terms:
- Indulgence (Latin: Indulgentia) is kindness and in roman Catholic vocabulary: pardon for temporal punishment still due to sin after the guilt has been forgiven. The commutation of penance and the grant of absolution.
- Penance: atonement for post baptismal sins by some form as satisfaction adequate to the sin.
- Absolution: (Latin, Absolvere, to set free) formal act of forgiving sins by an ordained priest by virtue of the power granted to him in John 20:23. sins may be forgiven by the priest on reciting the formula, "I absolve you" In the Byzantine Church, he priest says "May the Lord forgive you." instead. Vatican II Grants:
Second Vatican Council, redefined indulgences in the encyclical entitled, 'Indulgentiarum Doctrina', which reduced the number of plenary indulgences, and did away with the former distinction between personal, real, and local indulgences, to induce a total conversion of the heart from all sin through fervent contrition and charity. (Nelson's New Christian Dictionary)
A partial indulgence is granted to the Christian faithful who,
+ while performing their duties and enduring the difficulties of life, raise their minds in humble trust to god and make, at least mentally, some pious invocation.
+ prompted by spirit of faith, devote themselves or their goods in compassionate service to their brothers and sisters in need.
+ in a spirit of penitence, voluntarily abstain from something which is licit for and pleasing to them. Rick's three Themes:
Rick Jones, wrote a compelling case in three themes and a conclusion. In this R. Catholic doctrine, three recurring themes come to the surface again:
1. Another divine attribute of Jesus is minimized. The Bible declares that only Christ's work can bring about the forgiveness of sins. Catholicism, though, claims that sins can be forgiven through the good works of any ordinary Catholic.
2. Indulgences keep people in bondage to the Catholic church. Rather than going to God for forgiveness, Catholics must toil and strive, performing good deeds through the Catholic church for forgiveness of their sins.
It is noteworthy to ponder that the "good works" of Catholicism differ from the good works of the Bible. Biblical good works are deeds done for other people, while Catholicism' s good works revolve primarily around performing rituals of the church (Masses, saying rosaries, Catholic prayers, lighting candles, etc.). God intended good works to benefit others, not to bring people into bondage to a church.
3. Indulgences are a form of spiritual blackmail, forcing members to remain faithful to the church, so they can someday help their loved ones reach heaven.
Is this system of good works from God? Read what God records in His Holy Word on the subject, then decide for yourself:
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us..." Titus 3:5 What would you say?
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Summary: Ignorance raises it's ugly head again...
Review: Once again, an uninformed non-Catholic regurgitates misinformation regarding the Catholic Church's official teaching on a specific doctrine; this time, that of indulgences. Indulgences in no way diminish the finished work of Christ on the cross. Indulgences do not forgive sin or allow the believer to "indulge in sin", they lessen or remove the temporal punishment due ALREADY FORGIVEN sin. Restitution for rotten fruit is not only implied and not contradicted by Holy Scripture, it is explicitly present in it. For just one example, please see what happened to King David as a product of his adultery and murder. He was repentent and forgiven, but temporal punishment was metted out in spite of this forgiveness. This power to grant indulgences is a conclusion drawn from the communion of saints. This is hardly the place to argue the Protestant heresy of sola fide. Please read James 2:14 if you have trouble understanding the place of works of charity in the Christian life.
That is what I think...
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