History of Purgatory

[Rufus]

I did a quick search on the Puritanboard for the history of Purgatory and came up with little. I asked a Lutheran friend on Facebook and he recommended I check Martin Chemintz Examination on Trent, with no free sources I would be rolling out a lot of money I don't have for that. I decided it would be best to start a thread here.

The idea of a purifying fire of sorts is mentioned by many in the early church but their idea and the idea of purgatory are quite distant as far as I can see. Purgatory proper wasn't established until the 11th century, or at earliest 593 A.D. and it very well could have developed over the next 1,000 years until the Reformation. Does anybody have any other sources I could check for this? Any comments?


In Christ,

Sean

 

[Andres]

Okay Mods let's close this thread now.

 

[Fogetaboutit]

You might want to check "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop I believe he has a section which explain the pagan origins of "purgatory".

 

[cajunhillbilly53]

The Two Babylons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia That book has been shown to be historically inaccurate.

 

[Fogetaboutit]

The Two Babylons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia That book has been shown to be historically inaccurate.

I don't think this book was meant to be a historical book, he does get many historical sources and then add his interpretations to link these pagan customs to Rome. It should be read with that in mind, I might not agree with all of his conclusions but I think it still have some good information. To say that the Roman Church came up with these weird doctrine without any influence from pagan customs or traditions is to be naive in my opinion.

 

[dudley]

Purgatory is an invention of man, its history is based on a vicious LIE!

I agree with Joshua completely. Sean be assured there is no Purgatory and thus no history of it. It is a fabrication and another of Roman Catholicism’s false teachings that can lead men to despair; which is why I so vehemently renounce Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism is a religion of man made lies that teach the traditions of the church are equal to and even above scripture. Sadly if one is a Roman catholic they are never sure of salvation. Purgatory is another example of her false teachings and lies which is why I am now a Protestant and why I left the Roman catholic church. It is so sad. Rome is a false church. I renounce her and her pope as did the reformers.

Purgatory is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible; it is an invention of man. The doctrine of praying for the dead is based not on scripture, but has its roots in the Old Testament Apocryphal books (See 2 Maccabees 12:46 "It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead.") . The Roman church even changed the bible to include the apocrypha books which are really not part of the bible to support her vicious lie. There really is no need for a purgatory.
1. The doctrine of purgatory denies the completeness of our redemption and forgiveness
through the work of Calvary, and it rejects the blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. Jesus declared on the cross, "It is finished!"
John 19:30
b. "Ye are complete in Him." Paul said.
Colossians 2:10
c. The sacrifice was made for us "once for all ... forever ..."
Hebrews 9:11, 12, 25-28; 10:9-14; 1 Peter 3:18
2. The only unforgivable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Mark 3:28, 29
3. We are saved not by "good works," but by grace (God's "unmerited favor").
Romans 4:2-6; 9:11, 16, 31-33; 11:6; Galatians 2:16, 21
Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5
Mark 3:28, 29
Purgatory is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible; it is an invention of man.
A. Scripture teaches that there is, at death, an immediate transfer of the spirit of man
to either heaven or hell.
1. Jesus spoke repeatedly of heaven, and even more often referred to hell; but He
never once mentioned a middle state or place of spiritual purging after death.
Matthew 25:5-10; Luke 16:26-31; Revelation 3:15, 16
a. Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross next to Him that "today thou shalt be
with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:43
b. He told the story of Lazarus who "died and was carried by the angels into
Abraham's bosom," and the rich man who died and suffered torment in Hades.
A "great gulf," He said, separated the two and was "fixed: so that they which would
pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from
thence." Luke 16:19-31
c. The apostle Paul said that to die is to be "with Christ." He never indicated or implied
the existence or possibility of an intermediate state of any kind. Romans 14:8, 9;
2 Corinthians 5:6-9; Philippians 1:21, 23, 24; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 5:9, 10
2. There will be no "second chance" for anyone. We have the choice in this life to accept or
reject Jesus Christ. Our status in the after-life will be based upon that decision.
a. After death: judgment. Hebrews 9:27
b. Parable of the ten virgins: ".... and the door was shut." Matthew 25:1-10

As I said earlier Purgatory and the doctrine of praying for the dead is based not on scripture, but has its roots in the Old Testament Apocryphal books, which are really not part of the Christian bible.

Further, Purgatory, it as a way of controlling people and making then believe they must have the RC church to gain salvation. They must have its ritualistic blasphemous mass and all its superstitious practices that deny Justification by faith alone. Roman Catholicism is a false gospel, a perverted Gospel that leads people to despair by making them think that they have to work to save themselves. Satan knows this is impossible for man and thus man falls from grace under the teachings of the Roman catholic church. It is why I reject and renounce Roman Catholicism and her pope as did all the reformers. She teaches a false Gospel that can led men to hell.

Moreover as I have already said, there is no such thing as purgatory. Again, nowhere in God's inspired word will one find the doctrine that says people leave this world and enter purgatory to cleanse themselves before they get to heaven. Rather, the Bible teaches that upon our death, we will either go to paradise or torments, and can never cross over to the other, to await the final judgment (Lk 16:19-31).

God's word foretold of those who would set themselves up as God and teach perversions of truth (2 Ths 2:3-4, 9-12; 1 Tm 4:1-3). These men and their doctrines are to be rejected (Gal 1:6-9; 2 Jn 9-11). Therefore, let us abide only in the doctrine of Christ!

Sadly if one is a Roman catholic they are never sure of salvation. It is so sad. Rome is a false church. I renounce her and her pope as did the reformers. We should reach out to the those enslaved to the bondage of popery and also pray they receive the grace of God to have faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation as I was so fortunate to have happen to me. It is why I am so thankful I am a Protestant and a Presbyterian. It is why I have become so anti Roman catholic in my theory and writings. To be Protestant means we protest heresy and false teachings which are contrary to scripture. To be Protestant means we look to scripture alone as our final authority. We proclaim the truth and we renounce the pope and the church of Rome which teaches heresy.

 

[TylerRay]

Sean, I think I understand you to mean a history of the doctrine of purgatory. Jeffrey Burton Russell calls his books "histories of the devil," though he is no Christian and does not believe in a personal devil, but only deals with the history of the doctrine of the devil.

This may be what you're looking for:
Amazon.com: The Birth of Purgatory (9780226470832): Jacques Le Goff, Arthur Goldhammer: Books

BIG FAT QUALIFICATION: I've never read this book, so I don't know much about it. Le Goff is an agnostic, and not a Christian or a Romanist; so I doubt he's trying to either sway anyone toward a belief in purgatory, or condemn it as a damnable doctrine. Don't expect a knowledge of the true gospel.

 

[JM]

just for fun, see also: toll houses

 

[Supersillymanable]

I think some people here have misunderstood the original question (though it may simply be my misunderstanding, if so, I apologise), I'm pretty sure he's asking for a history of the doctrine of purgatory, as in, who first came up with the (albeit, non-biblical) doctrine of purgatory, how did it develop from there etc. Personally, I have never studied it, so I don't know. Although finding out where it originated from could be helpful in showing it is a man created doctrine which finds no place or basis in the Bible.

 

[Supersillymanable]

My bad. Sorry, I often miss the humorous tone over the internet

 

[Mushroom]

Rat brains humor is often so inscrutable as to easily be missed. They're better battered and fried.

 

[Rufus]

What? No, I'm looking for a history of Purgatory, something interesting has got to have happened in that place.

 

[Marrow Man]

just for fun, see also: toll houses

Does this have anything to do with toll house cookies?

 

[Mushroom]

just for fun, see also: toll houses

Does this have anything to do with toll house cookies?

Now, now, calm down Tim - no chocolate chips involved. Besides, if there were, you might get some in that soft, manageable hair. Don't you have a presidential campaign to attend to? How can we ever expect to take the reins of power if our candidate is so easily distracted by the thought of cookies?

 

[jwithnell]

The OP is a very interesting question --- makes you wonder why and how the doctrine developed. Was it originally meant as a comfort -- you get a second chance? Or was it used to wield power -- obey the church or you mama's gonna spend five extra centuries in purgatory?

 

[Grimmson]

It is a shame that an important question like the history of purgatory is mocked as a doctrine instead of the history of it being addressed. I sadly have no expertise in the subject myself.

It maybe based on a marriage of Origen’s view of 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (souls refined by fire) and Tertullian’s concept of refrigerium interim. Hilary of Poitiers spoke of a purification by fire that occurs after death according to the Introduction of NPNF 209, lxxxix. I know that Augustine has been charged with holding to some form of Purgatory. Just do a basic search and I am sure you can find quotations from Augustine regarding some form of a purifying or cleaning fire prior to the last judgment. I think Tyler’s suggestion to read Jacques Le Goff’s book is a good start. And Sean let us know your findings.

 

[dudley]

The OP is a very interesting question --- makes you wonder why and how the doctrine developed. Was it originally meant as a comfort -- you get a second chance? Or was it used to wield power -- obey the church or you mama's gonna spend five extra centuries in purgatory?

Please see my post earlier in this thread and read it carefully. There is no purgatory but I gave a history of how and why it came into being...I am an ex Roman catholic; now a Reformed Protestant, it is why I renounce those lies and Roman catholicism so vehemently on here......read my earlier post on this thread and your question should be answered.