Purgatory
(If you think the opinion I cited isn't good enough please state why and give citations.) |
(→Protestantism Orthodoxy and others: because it's already discussed in teh paragraph below that actually addresses why it matters.) |
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==Protestantism Orthodoxy and others== | ==Protestantism Orthodoxy and others== | ||
| − | [[Protestantism|Protestant]] doctrine generally denies the existence of Purgatory. At least one commentator expects increasing acceptance of purgatory among evangelicals over the next twenty years. <ref>[http://anabaptist.lifewithchrist.org/permalink/12292.html | + | [[Protestantism|Protestant]] doctrine generally denies the existence of Purgatory. At least one commentator expects increasing acceptance of purgatory among evangelicals over the next twenty years. <ref>[http://anabaptist.lifewithchrist.org/permalink/12292.html]</ref> |
The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] holds that there is an intermediate space between death and judgement, but they do not call it purgatory, and it does not hold any of the semi-permanence of Purgatory as it is understood within most Catholic doctrine, nor is it a place of "purification" or "punishment". This is one of the issues that caused the "Great Schism". | The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] holds that there is an intermediate space between death and judgement, but they do not call it purgatory, and it does not hold any of the semi-permanence of Purgatory as it is understood within most Catholic doctrine, nor is it a place of "purification" or "punishment". This is one of the issues that caused the "Great Schism". | ||
Revision as of 17:09, 8 March 2012
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Purgatory in Roman Catholic theology is understood as a "place" (more correctly, a "process") where departed souls arrive if they are not judged appropriate for Heaven or Hell. For many (one might argue, most) souls, it is a semi-permanent place of mild suffering where anyone who has not received the correct sacraments must wait until their as-yet unforgiven "venial" (small) sins are "set aside", making them fit enough to go to heaven. Official doctrine calls it a "State of Purification".
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Vague theology
Critically, Catholic theology states that the souls of unbaptized but otherwise "sinless" children not only go to purgatory, but must remain there for an eternity.
Some traditions hold that all people enter purgatory briefly, as a state between death and judgement. Purgatory is generally understood as anything from a state of "eternal sleep" to being "conscious but without pain", to a mild sense of tedious displeasure. In Piers Anthony's "Incarnations" world, purgatory is a place of endless red-tape, paper pushing 9-5 ('cept 24/7) office work tedium.
In reality, pinning down what purgatory is, within the guides of Church doctrine, is about like trying to pin down the trinity
Getting others out
To get your deceased relatives out of Purgatory faster, it is necessary to frequently pray the Rosary and perform other actions through which the Church grants "indulgences" (such as giving money). You can also pay money to priests to say Masses for your departed loved ones. Naturally the RC Church is totally unmotivated by any possible financial gain but does all this solely as a service for departed souls and their relatives.
Getting yourself out
To reduce the time you have to spend in Purgatory, avoid all sins of commission, learn all the sins of omission so you can avoid them too, and confess what sins you did let slip past to a priest so you will not have so many unforgiven sins when you die.
Protestantism Orthodoxy and others
Protestant doctrine generally denies the existence of Purgatory. At least one commentator expects increasing acceptance of purgatory among evangelicals over the next twenty years. [1]
The Eastern Orthodox Church holds that there is an intermediate space between death and judgement, but they do not call it purgatory, and it does not hold any of the semi-permanence of Purgatory as it is understood within most Catholic doctrine, nor is it a place of "purification" or "punishment". This is one of the issues that caused the "Great Schism".