In the 16th century, the immense wealth which the Church derived from great political power had begun to corrupt it. Many joining the clergy for less than purely religious reasons, and many of the clergy, including the pontiffs, succumbed to avarice and fornication. The Catholic Church of the 15th and 16th centuries was marked by excess, luxury, and corruption. Among the most obvious signs of this corruption was the Indulgence Controversy which was largely responsible for the Protestant Reformation.
Although most people equate indulgences with the Indulgence Controversy of the 16th century, today it is rarely used by the Roman Pontiff. Fortunately, indulgences do not necessarily lead to the corruption with which their sale is often associated. Contrary to popular belief, indulgence is not some kind of “free card”. It is based on the entire theological doctrine, which includes both the doctrine and dogma of the Catholic Church. It is essentially a way to avoid spending some time in Purgatory for sins committed on earth. In order to understand how this forgiveness is supposed, it is necessary to understand abstract theological concepts, such as Purgatory, Penitence, and the Treasury of Merits.
According to the Catholic Church, salvation is not really a gratuitous gift of God. Although God saves us by his grace, we still have to pay for the sins we commit. This is usually done through repentance. When a good Catholic knows that he has sinned, he usually goes to his priest and confesses. Then the priest will assign him some penance. Repentance may be out of the question, but the requirement is to say a certain number of “Our Fathers” or “Hail Mary” It is common. If a Catholic does not make full satisfaction for his sins by doing due penance for sins in his life, he will have to spend time in Purgatory to make satisfaction for those sins. This sinner will suffer until he pays for his sins and is ready to enter the paradise of heaven.
Although almost all people will have to spend at least some time in Purgatory, the amount of time they will have to spend will depend on how many sins they must repent of in Purgatory. Since spending time in Purgatory is more difficult than doing penance on earth, Catholics have an incentive to do penance before they die. Instead of doing penance, Catholics can obtain indulgence from the Roman Pontiff on certain occasions. This indulgence will take place during certain days of penance, which will reduce the amount of time the sinner must spend in purgatory.
Indulgences sound in something called “Treasury of Merit”. Of course, all the good deeds that Jesus did and beyond. The good deeds done by the saints beyond what was necessary for the right to heaven are stored in the “Treasury of Merits”, to which the Pope has the authority to access at will. If he chooses, the Supreme Pontiff can take some extra good deeds from the “Treasury of Merits” and give them to those sinners whom he deems worthy. These good works can take the place of penance, which means that indulgence can reduce the amount of time to be spent in Purgatory without requiring additional penance.
Obviously, this teaching can be easily abused as it was done in the 16th century. Although Pope Pius V decreed that Indulgences should not be given for offerings, that prohibition was not put in place in 1517, when Pope Leo X allowed the sale of indulgences to pay for St. Peter’s Basilica. When Martin Luther Martin Luther recognized this indulgence as a veiled attempt to sell the profits of sin, Luther protested. 95 Objections to Janua or the Church in Wittenberg. This event marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. During the Reformation, the Church ceased to sell indulgences and now offers them only for good works, as Bible reading and attending the events of the Church. However, indulgences remain controversial, especially among non-Catholics who doubt their validity.
