L
lanceg
Guest
I generally agree with this, I might say it differently, but basically this is my understanding.Purgatory is dogmatic. The Roman system of indulgences and the Roman understanding of what purgatory is is merely doctrine within the Roman Church.
Suffice it to say, the “requisite” teaching of purgatory is that there is a place/state where individuals continuing their theosis are neither in heaven, hell nor earth, until they get far enough along to enter heaven.
The system of indulgences is doctrinal and disciplinary within the Roman Church, and merely constructively instructive within the framework of theosis which permeates Byzantine doctrine.
The practices involved in obtaining indulgences are of special merit, yes, but lacking the concept of delayed penance (part of the roman concept of purgatory’s purpose), “taking time off from purgatory” is meaningless.
i also have my own theologumena about this-
I do not conceive of Heaven, Hell or Purgatory as “places.”
I believe that human beings are in the presence of God after death. They experience the fire of God’s love.
Those who are damned are not deprived of the fire of God’s love, but experience it as torment, because they have not acquired within themselves.
Those who are in “purgatory” in this scenario are further purified by the fire of God’s love, and stripped of their remaining selfishness and egoism. This is a continuing process of Theosis that began at baptism on earth.
Those who have acquired the love of God within themselves, and who have been purified of egoism, experience the fire of God’s love as Paradise. But even for these souls, the process of Theosis continues; it may be that Theosis can never be “final.” But these souls are in a place [metaphorically speaking] of verdure, refreshment, where all sighing and mourning and sorrow has fled, and where the light of Christ is their continual joy. These are those who we think of as “being in heaven.”