Do you deny that indulgences were sold in the middle ages?

1 min readUpdated 12 October 2022

They were never sold with the sanction of the theology of the Church. If unscrupulous individuals sold indulgences, such traffic in them would no more militate against the Church than would my own conduct did I myself adopt the practice privately.

Radio Replies Volume 1 by Rev. Dr. Leslie Rumble MSC and Rev. Charles Mortimer Carty

Keep the conversation thoughtful.

Historical language and viewpoints in the original collection are preserved. For current official teaching, consult the Catechism and the Holy See.

Report an error or ask the editor

FOLLOW THE THREAD

More to explore.

All articles

The Church1 min read

The Rosary is a relic of the superstitious middle ages, when it was meant for ignorant people.

The use of beads dates from the earliest centuries. The prayers embodied in the Rosary were composed by Christ Himself in the case of the Our Father, and by the Angel Gabriel, St. Elizabeth, and the Council of Ephesus in the 5th century, in the case of the Hail Mary. We are in very good company with those prayers. As a devotion,…

Read the answer

The Church1 min read

Pope Leo X. sold indulgences in Germany to get money for St. Peter\\\’s. Do you think it right to sell pardons for sins?

An indulgence is not a pardon for sin. It can be gained only by one who is not in a state of sin, and who has previously secured forgiveness of his sins by repentance by long public penance, sometimes for days, at other times for years. But the Church was often indulgent, and loosed or freed Christians from all or part of their …

Read the answer

The Church14 min read

What Are Indulgences in the Catholic Church?

The concept of indulgences in the Catholic Church has roots in the early Christian practice of penance for sins. In the early Church, grave sins such as apostasy or adultery often required public penance, which could last days, months, or even years. These penances were not merely punitive but aimed at spiritual restoration and …

Read the answer

KNOWLEDGE SHARED. FAITH STRENGTHENED.

Keep the door open.

Your optional contribution helps keep these resources free to read.

Support this independent site