The sinister history of Catholic indulgences

Indulgences are a concept within the Catholic Church that offers a way for a Christian to reduce the punishment for any sins that were committed during their lives.

However, to understand why indulgences were popular in the medieval period, it helps to understand the concept of ‘purgatory’.

Purgatory was believed to be a temporary state a Christian person’s soul entered after death, but before it entered Heaven.

During this time in purgatory, the soul would undergo ‘purification’ to be cleansed of their sin. 

Exactly how long this process of purification lasted is not precisely defined by the Church; it could depend upon on the individual soul.

The more sins a person had committed, even if they confessed them, would lengthen this time.

However, other Christians still on earth could help shorten this time through extra prayers, masses, and good deeds, known as ‘acts of charity’. 

One of the most common practices was the pilgrimage, where faithful Christians would travel to sacred sites, such as Rome, Jerusalem, or Santiago de Compostela.

The Church often granted indulgences to those who undertook these journeys with a contrite heart.

For example, during the Jubilee Year of 1300 in Rome, it was recorded that over 200,000 pilgrims received plenary indulgences for visiting the basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul. 

Indulgences in the medieval period were primarily categorized into two types: partial and plenary.

Partial indulgences offered a reduction in the amount of time the faithful would spend in purgatory for their sins.

The duration of this reduction was often specified in days or years, based on the penitential practices of early Christianity.

In contrast, plenary indulgences granted a complete remission of all punishment due to sin, effectively wiping the slate clean for the believer's soul in the afterlife. 

The granting of these indulgences was tied to specific acts of devotion, charity, or piety.

For example, a partial indulgence might be granted for reciting a particular prayer or making a pilgrimage to a holy site.

On the other hand, plenary indulgences were often reserved for more significant acts, such as participating in a crusade or making a substantial donation to the Church for a pious cause. 

Then, by the 12th and 13th centuries, the practice of indulgences had become more formalized.

The Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 and the Council of Lyon in 1245 helped to define and regulate indulgences.

At this time, indulgences were still primarily spiritual in nature, aiming to provide the faithful with a means to atone for their sins and draw closer to God.  

As the demand for indulgences grew, the Church began to formalize the process through the issuance of indulgence letters or certificates.

These documents, often elaborately decorated, acted as the physical proof that the individual had received an indulgence.

By the 15th century, with the advent of the printing press, the production of indulgence certificates became more widespread, allowing for much wider distribution. 

As the church began printing indulgences in greater numbers, it also meant that more people had access to them.

The led to the practice of selling indulgences, particularly in the later Middle Ages.

Funds raised from their sale went to ambitious church projects, such as the construction of cathedrals and the commissioning of art.

For instance, the sale of indulgences contributed to the financing of the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, a project that began in the early 16th century.

The revenue generated from indulgences was also used to support the Crusades, with the Church offering indulgences to those who contributed financially to the military campaigns. 

Ultimately, the practice created a system where salvation and spiritual benefits could be perceived as being bought and sold, leading to a sense of inequality and disillusionment among the faithful.

In particular, the poor and the marginalized were at a disadvantage, as they could not afford to purchase indulgences or undertake costly pilgrimages.

This disparity contributed to growing discontent and criticism of the Church's practices. 

Controversy surrounding the practice of indulgences began to emerge as early as the 14th century.

One of the earliest critics was John Wycliffe, an English theologian who challenged the theological basis of indulgences and the moral integrity of their sale.

By the 15th century, discontent had grown, particularly in regions like Germany, where the aggressive marketing of indulgences by figures such as Johann Tetzel sparked outrage.

Tetzel's famous slogan, "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs," became a symbol of the perceived corruption within the Church. 

The most significant critique came from Martin Luther, a German monk and theologian, who in 1517 nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

Luther's theses directly challenged the efficacy and morality of indulgences, arguing that they undermined true repentance and the authority of the Bible.

His actions ignited the Protestant Reformation, a movement that led to the formation of new Christian denominations and a reevaluation of Church practices. 

In response to the growing criticism, the Council of Trent (1545-1563) sought to clarify and reform the Church's position on indulgences; it condemned the abuses associated with the sale of indulgences and reaffirmed their spiritual value when obtained through genuine repentance and good works.

The Council's decrees aimed to reform the Church's practices and restore its moral authority. 

However, in the centuries that followed, there was a shift towards a more pastoral approach, emphasizing the spiritual benefits of indulgences and their role in encouraging pious acts and devotion.

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) further refined the Church's teachings on indulgences, aligning them with a modern understanding of faith and repentance.

Today, indulgences remain a part of Catholic doctrine, representing a spiritual aid for the faithful, albeit with a renewed emphasis on their theological and pastoral significance.