Concord Book and Purgatory-Lutheran

[MaryT777]

Can a Lutheran post something from the Concord book regarding the official view of the
thought of purgatory?

Thanks.
I can look it up but I don’t have time to wade through it.

Mary.

 

[po18guy]

 

[landon13]

 

[benjohnson]

Lutherans are rather adamant that it is Christ alone who hold us, regardless of the machinations of man. Even today, when Catholics no longer have the practice of purchasing indulgences, we still maintain this - there are many lonely people who the world has forgotten, and we would not compound their suffering in a purgatory that they would linger in longer if no one is praying for them.

That said, Lutherans should have no trouble with the kindness that Catholic show in the prayers that effect souls leaving purgatory.

12] First, purgatory. Here they carried their trade into purgatory by masses for souls, and vigils, and weekly, monthly, and yearly celebrations of obsequies, and finally by the Common Week and All Souls’ Day, by soul-baths so that the Mass is used almost alone for the dead, although Christ has instituted the Sacrament alone for the living. Therefore purgatory, and every solemnity, rite, and commerce connected with it, is to be regarded as nothing but a specter of the devil. For it conflicts with the chief article [which teaches] that only Christ, and not the works of men, are to help [set free] souls. Not to mention the fact that nothing has been [divinely] commanded or enjoined upon us concerning the dead. Therefore all this may be safely omitted, even if it were no error and idolatry

 

[MaryT777]

Thanks for the response Ben.

 

[po18guy]

Lutherans are rather adamant that it is Christ alone who hold us, regardless of the machinations of man. Even today, when Catholics no longer have the practice of purchasing indulgences, we still maintain this - there are many lonely people who the world has forgotten, and we would not compound their suffering in a purgatory that they would linger in longer if no one is praying for them.

That said, Lutherans should have no trouble with the kindness that Catholic show in the prayers that effect souls leaving purgatory.

12] First, purgatory. Here they carried their trade into purgatory by masses for souls, and vigils, and weekly, monthly, and yearly celebrations of obsequies, and finally by the Common Week and All Souls’ Day, by soul-baths so that the Mass is used almost alone for the dead, although Christ has instituted the Sacrament alone for the living. Therefore purgatory, and every solemnity, rite, and commerce connected with it, is to be regarded as nothing but a specter of the devil. For it conflicts with the chief article [which teaches] that only Christ, and not the works of men, are to help [set free] souls. Not to mention the fact that nothing has been [divinely] commanded or enjoined upon us concerning the dead. Therefore all this may be safely omitted, even if it were no error and idolatry

I must point out that the sale of indulgences (“Simony”) was never a Church teaching; was never a general practice, and was condemned for 1,500 years before it reared its ugly head in Europe. From the catechism:

2121 Simony is defined as the buying or selling of spiritual things.53 To Simon the magician, who wanted to buy the spiritual power he saw at work in the apostles, St. Peter responded: "Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money!"54 Peter thus held to the words of Jesus: "You received without pay, give without pay."55 It is impossible to appropriate to oneself spiritual goods and behave toward them as their owner or master, for they have their source in God. One can receive them only from him, without payment.

53 Cf. Acts 8:9-24.
54 Acts 8:20.
55 Mt 10:8; cf. already Isa 55:1.

That being said, let us continue…

 

[Mumbles140]

Lutherans are rather adamant that it is Christ alone who hold us, regardless of the machinations of man. Even today, when Catholics no longer have the practice of purchasing indulgences, we still maintain this - there are many lonely people who the world has forgotten, and we would not compound their suffering in a purgatory that they would linger in longer if no one is praying for them.

That said, Lutherans should have no trouble with the kindness that Catholic show in the prayers that effect souls leaving purgatory.

12] First, purgatory. Here they carried their trade into purgatory by masses for souls, and vigils, and weekly, monthly, and yearly celebrations of obsequies, and finally by the Common Week and All Souls’ Day, by soul-baths so that the Mass is used almost alone for the dead, although Christ has instituted the Sacrament alone for the living. Therefore purgatory, and every solemnity, rite, and commerce connected with it, is to be regarded as nothing but a specter of the devil. For it conflicts with the chief article [which teaches] that only Christ, and not the works of men, are to help [set free] souls. Not to mention the fact that nothing has been [divinely] commanded or enjoined upon us concerning the dead. Therefore all this may be safely omitted, even if it were no error and idolatry

1. Offering intentions for the dead does not detract from the sacrifice of the Mass, for it is in offering up bread and wine and having it miraculously become the Body and Blood of Our Lord, given to the living so that they may not be spiritually dead.
2. If you prayed to God for a miracle, and your prayers were granted, did you perform the miracle? Would you say the answer to your prayers was the work of men, or the work of God?
3. Try the Bible approved and recognized by the Church in the early centuries, before books were deemed ‘unworthy’ over 1,000 years after the fact…