Michael Brooks
Indulgences are a controversial topic within Catholic circles and beyond. The Catholic Church teaches that indulgences draw on the treasury of merit accumulated by Jesus's death on the cross and the virtues and penances of the saints. They are granted for specific good works and prayers, and they are a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for forgiven sins. Indulgences became increasingly popular in the Middle Ages as a reward for displaying piety and doing good deeds, but they were also abused for monetary gain, leading to criticism from Protestant reformers like Martin Luther. While the Catholic Church never officially approved of the sale of indulgences, it took steps to curb these abuses during the Counter-Reformation. Today, indulgences continue to play a role in modern Catholic religious life, with Pope Francis granting plenary indulgences during traditional blessings. This raises the question: are the old Catholic indulgences, with their associations of monetary exchange, still valid in the eyes of the Church?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | "A way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for (forgiven) sins" |
| Requirements | The recipient must perform an action to receive it, such as saying a specified prayer, going on a pilgrimage, visiting a particular place, or performing specific good works |
| Validity | Still valid, but no longer attached to monetary transactions or almsgiving |
| Types | Partial and plenary |
| Purpose | To foster charity and a sense of repentance |
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What You'll Learn
What are indulgences?
Indulgences are a distinctive feature of the penitential system of both the Western medieval and the Roman Catholic Church. They are a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins that have already been forgiven. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes an indulgence as "a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions".
Indulgences emerged in the 11th and 12th centuries when the idea of purgatory took hold and the popes became the activist leaders of the reforming church. They promoted the militant reclamation of once-Christian lands, offering "full remission of sins" to those who fought in the Reconquista and the Crusades.
Indulgences are granted for specific good works and prayers, in proportion to the devotion with which those good works are performed or prayers recited. The recipient of an indulgence must perform an action to receive it, which is most often the saying of a specified prayer, but may also include a pilgrimage, the visiting of a particular place (such as a shrine, church, or cemetery), or the performance of specific good works.
Indulgences are not a permit to commit sin, a pardon of future sin, nor a guarantee of salvation for oneself or for another. They do not forgive the guilt of sin, nor do they provide release from the eternal punishment associated with unforgiven mortal sins. The Catholic Church teaches that indulgences relieve only the temporal punishment resulting from the effect of sin (the effect of rejecting God, the source of good).
Today, indulgences are grouped into two types: partial and plenary. The category depends on whether the indulgence in question applies to some or all of the punishment a given member of the faithful owes for sin.
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How do they work?
Indulgences are a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins that have already been forgiven. They do not forgive the guilt of sin, nor do they provide release from the eternal punishment associated with unforgiven mortal sins. Indulgences draw on the treasury of merit accumulated by Jesus's death on the cross and the virtues and penances of the saints.
Indulgences were introduced to allow for the remission of the severe penances of the early church and were granted at the intercession of Christians awaiting martyrdom or imprisoned for their faith. They became increasingly popular in the Middle Ages as a reward for displaying piety and doing good deeds. Doctrinally, the Catholic Church stated that the indulgence was only valid for temporal punishment for sins already forgiven in the Sacrament of Confession.
To receive an indulgence, the recipient must perform an action, such as saying a specified prayer, going on a pilgrimage, visiting a particular place (e.g., a shrine, church, or cemetery), or performing specific good works. The number of days associated with indulgences does not mean that time will be taken off one's stay in purgatory. Instead, it indicates an indefinite but partial remission, proportionate to what ancient Christians would have received for performing that many days' penance.
Indulgences are still valid and play a role in modern Catholic religious life. Pope Pius V affirmed their validity as long as no money was exchanged, and Pope Paul VI simplified the rules and redrafted the list of designated works and prayers in 1968. Today, indulgences are granted for specific good works and prayers in proportion to the devotion with which they are performed.
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Are they still valid?
The Catholic Church teaches that indulgences are valid and are a way to "reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for (forgiven) sins". Indulgences are granted for specific good works and prayers, and the more devoutly these acts are performed, the more likely an indulgence will be granted. Indulgences are not a means to forgive sins, but rather a way to ease the burden of punishment that follows the forgiveness of sins.
The Catholic Church has never officially approved of the sale of indulgences. However, during the Middle Ages, corrupt bishops committed the sin of simony by attempting to sell indulgences. This abuse of indulgences was a key criticism of the Catholic Church by Martin Luther and other Protestant Reformers. In response to these criticisms, the Catholic Church clarified its position on indulgences during the Council of Trent, an official Church council that lasted nearly 20 years. The Church also removed charity from the list of indulgences to prevent further abuse.
In 1967, Pope Paul VI revised the rules on indulgences, emphasising that indulgences cannot be gained without a sincere conversion of outlook and unity with God. Today, indulgences are classified as either partial or plenary, depending on whether they apply to all or some of the punishment owed for a sin. Catholics can still gain indulgences, such as the plenary indulgence granted by Pope Francis during the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing on Easter Sunday.
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Can they be bought?
The Catholic Church has never approved the sale of indulgences. The practice of selling indulgences is utterly opposed to the Catholic Church's teaching on indulgences. Certain individuals, such as corrupt bishops and the German Dominican Johann Tetzel, sold indulgences in the Middle Ages, but they acted contrary to explicit Church regulations. This practice is considered the grave sin of simony.
The Catholic Church teaches that indulgences cannot be bought or sold. They are granted for specific good works and prayers in proportion to the devotion with which those good works are performed or prayers recited. Indulgences are not a pardon of future sin, a guarantee of salvation, or a permit to commit sin.
Indulgences became increasingly popular in the Middle Ages as a reward for displaying piety and doing good deeds. Doctrinally speaking, the Catholic Church stated that the indulgence was only valid for temporal punishment for sins already forgiven in the Sacrament of Confession. Indulgences were granted for acts of almsgiving, as well as prayer, pilgrimages, and fasts.
The abuse of indulgences for almsgiving became a serious problem, as they became a method of fundraising, ignoring the requirements for contrition or charity. This abuse was a target of attacks by Martin Luther and other Protestant theologians during the Protestant Reformation.
In response to these abuses, the Catholic Church clarified what indulgences were and how they were received in a decree promulgated during the Council of Trent. Pope Paul VI also simplified the rules on indulgences and redrafted the list of designated works and prayers in 1968. Today, indulgences are grouped into only two types: partial and plenary.
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What is their history?
History of Catholic Indulgences
Indulgences date back to the early days of the Church, with their use involving praying for the release of the faithful departed from Purgatory. The practice of praying for the dead has its roots in Judaism, as seen in 2 Maccabees 12:42-46, and Catholicism is considered the fulfilment of this tradition (Matthew 16:18-19; Galatians 6:15-16).
In the Middle Ages, indulgences became increasingly popular as a reward for demonstrating piety and performing good deeds. Doctrinally, the Catholic Church maintained that indulgences were only valid for temporal punishment for sins already forgiven through the Sacrament of Confession. They were granted for acts of almsgiving, prayer, pilgrimages, and fasts.
However, the practice of granting indulgences for almsgiving led to the perception of “buying” or “purchasing" indulgences, as they seemed like monetary transactions rather than being awarded for the act of charity itself. This issue was a central concern of Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Luther's 27th thesis, one of his Ninety-Five Theses, posted in 1517, criticised the notion that "as soon as the money clinks into the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory."
In response to these abuses, the Council of Trent in 1563 condemned the selling of indulgences, and Pope Pius V abolished their sale in 1567. Despite these reforms, the underlying theology of indulgences remained intact. The Catholic Counter-Reformation curbed the abuses, and indulgences continue to play a role in modern Catholic religious life.
In 1968, Pope Paul VI simplified the rules surrounding indulgences and redrafted the list of designated works and prayers associated with them. Pope Paul's reorganisation retained some older forms of indulgences, such as pilgrimages to shrines, while also emphasising the importance of incorporating charitable acts and a sense of repentance into daily life.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, old Catholic indulgences are still valid so long as no money was exchanged.
Indulgences are a way to "pay off" the debt of punishment that is owed to God even after a sin has been forgiven.
To receive an indulgence, one must perform an action, such as saying a specified prayer, going on a pilgrimage, visiting a particular place, or performing specific good works.
No, indulgences cannot be sold. The selling of indulgences is considered the grave sin of simony.
Yes, indulgences are still granted today. For example, from November 2021 to November 2022, the National Shrine of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini in Chicago offered indulgences.
