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February 09, 2009
Return of the "Smallest Graces"
So...anyone got a copy of the 95 Theses handy?
The announcement in church bulletins and on Web sites has been greeted with enthusiasm by some and wariness by others. But mainly, it has gone over the heads of a vast generation of Roman Catholics who have no idea what it means: "Bishop Announces Plenary Indulgences."I mean no disrespect to Bishop DiMarzio, but indulgences aren't really the answer to sin in the world. That has been taken care of another way.In recent months, dioceses around the world have been offering Catholics a spiritual benefit that fell out of favor decades ago — the indulgence, a sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife — and reminding them of the church's clout in mitigating the wages of sin.
The fact that many Catholics under 50 have never sought one, and never heard of indulgences except in high school European history (Martin Luther denounced the selling of them in 1517 while igniting the Protestant Reformation), simply makes their reintroduction more urgent among church leaders bent on restoring fading traditions of penance in what they see as a self-satisfied world.
"Why are we bringing it back?" asked Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of New York, who has embraced the move. "Because there is sin in the world."
These modern-day indulgences cannot be purchased with cash (although charitable contributions can help you earn one), but from the perspective of a guy who was raised Catholic, they still seem to be a form of 'earned grace.' Since I believe now that grace or special favor is not something earned, but something given, my faith has much more in common with the document that caused the ultimate church split.
I find this story fascinating, because it shows the power of history and the pull of tradition. It's been almost 500 years since Martin Luther picked up his hammer at Wittenberg, and the church is still debating the issues raised by the document he nailed to a door.
Posted by slublog at February 9, 2009 09:56 PM
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Comments
That is difficult to understand as catholic...people still think they have to "earn" their salvation....protestants. But catholics are heavily under control of their beliefs with the church controlling them under the strength and authority of "traditio". And that means that tradition rules over the bible> Yes, hard to believe.
Posted by: dad r. at February 16, 2009 08:01 PM