[Apologetics] Limbo

[Stuart D. Gathman]

On Mon, 23 Apr 2007, Stephen Korsman wrote:

> This blogger also thinks that the teaching on Purgatory was initiated by
> Eusebius, based on Plato's writings, and only then were a few verses in the
> Bible found to support it ... and then it became tradition.  I'll try to find
> some info on that ... and then that puts him in perspective.  Like the people
> who don't mind Jesus' resurrection being simply a metaphor.  Maybe I take his
> opinions too seriously, because he's ex-Adventist, now Catholic, and
> disapproves of my attempts at apologetics.

Protestants (the orthodox kind) who object to Purgatory either have
it confused with simony by association ("When the coin in the gift box klings,
the soul from Purgatory springs"), or are objecting to the Classically (Greek
Myth) influenced visions of Dante.  I have yet to find a Protestant who didn't
believe in the actual Catholic teaching about "purgatory" (as long as you don't
use that "P" word).  

The actual Catholic teaching is simply that souls are perfected before entering
heaven.  Much of the popular tradition surrounding it has as much
authority as jokes about St Peter at the gate of Heaven.  Protestant
words for "perfecting of souls before entering Heaven" include "glorification",
"final sanctification", "final purification".  That last (from an Independent
Bible Church) is so similar to "purgatory" it is eerie.  (Yet they still
had a strong negative reaction to the "P" word.)

Don't bother switching to a new word.  Catholic haters will just accuse
you of trying to disguise false doctrine with new vocabulary.  I don't
know what the answer is, other than my little joke of describing the 
doctrine sans "P" word, getting their word for it, then telling them the
Catholic word and watching their reaction...

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
    Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis" - background song for
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