J.T.’s blog mentioned the return of indulgences in the Catholic Church. Read an article in the NYT about it here. Many questions arise from this discussion. Here are a few of my own:
1. Where is this taught in Scripture?
2. How are the good deeds of the saints anywhere close in comparison to the perfect obedience of Christ?
3. In light of #2, how are they then added to the work of Christ?
4. If the popes have the authority to open and close such a treasury, why would they not INSIST that it remain open so that access to forgiveness would always be available?
5. Justin mentions on his post that in order to be granted a plenary indulgence, one must “abandon all types of sin”. Is this not why we need Jesus in the first place? We are unable to do so!
6. What did Christ accomplish on the cross, if we’re still having to do work to remove punishment from our heads?
#1 and 6 are probably my top questions. This teaching belittles Christ and his work. Scripture puts forth Jesus instead of indulgences as our hope for escaping punishment after death for sins…let’s not add anything to that.
Posted by Brandon 
