Purgatory is a state which everyone goes to. Discuss

?
  • Created by: lace123
  • Created on: 20-02-20 20:58

is purgatory a state through which everyone goes?

AdvantagesGetting Started

  • Purgatory is a catholic teaching , Pope Gregory in the 6th century developed the idea based upon (Matt 12:32) "anyone who speaks against the holy spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come"
  • it is logical that purgatory exist because sin cannot enter total perfection of God (Luke 12:59)
  • Purgatory is one example of an idea that has developed through the influential theologians of Origen in the 2nd Century , particularly within Catholicism. Origen suggests purgatory is comparable to a probationary school which is a time of correction and change. He stated it was a place where you can purify yourself before heaven and used the words of Jesus in Matthew 12 to support his views “Everybody either in this age or the age to come we will be forgiven”.  In this manor he argued the whole of creation can enter heaven and it represents the redemption of all creation.

Disadvantages

  • Protestants believe that it is an unnecessary doctrine - away of making money - tokens was used to take days of purgatory for the deceased love ones - Job 1:5
  • if purgatory exists why did Jesus die - there is no reason for his salvation as we will already be purified in purgatory
  • Criticisms of the concept of purgatory are wide-ranging. Firstly that this concept is not based largely on Biblical evidence, second purgatory has been used by the Catholic Church historically as a way of pressurising people into believing in God through teaching about fear and finally purgatory goes against the Christian teaching of forgiveness of all sins at death; “Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”Hebrews 10:18, thereby demonstrating that purgatory is not a widely held belief or teaching amongst most Christians today.
  • Bernard Williams who raised the idea of whether heaven would really be desirable, the idea of sheer bliss and perfection, he argued could become dull and boring if it was experienced for an eternal period of time.
  • Richard Dawkins would point to a lack of empirical evidence for a physical place such a heaven, thereby rendering any early concepts of heaven as physical as obsolete, leaving only room for figurative or more metaphorical ideas.
  • Saint Augustine showing that humans are created sinful via original sin, therefore through following God’s laws and commandments Christians can enter heaven. To support this the Sheep and Goats parable in Matthew 25 refers to the metaphor of the sheep that enter into heaven as people who have followed Jesus treatment of the poor and lost; Jesus says “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” meaning that whoever looks after his neighbour and others is doing it for God.

Evaluation

Despite this, there are three broad Christian approaches towards this topic: First, some people argue for a more exclusivist view of the Bible that only a few Christians will be saved and the rest go to hell, St.Augustine held this view which is associated with the term ‘limited election’.  Second, ‘unlimited election’ is the view that all people are called to salvation but not all are saved, this more inclusivist, Karl Barth adopted this view.  Finally a universalist belief, that all people will be saved, which is more akin to John Hicks’pluralist theology that hell is not compatible with a belief in a God of love. Ultimately, most Christians believe in individual Judgement and Judgement Day and would argue it is only God who is the judge of who might end up in heaven or hell, as supported by the Nicene Creed ‘God will come to judge the living and dead’. Ultimately it is not possible to know whether the afterlife exists.

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Religious Studies resources:

See all Religious Studies resources »See all death and the afterlife resources »