indulgence, in the Roman Catholic Church, the pardon of temporal punishment due for sin. It is to be distinguished from absolution and the forgiveness of guilt. The church grants indulgences out of the Treasury of Merit won for the church by Christ and the saints. Indulgences may be plenary, i.e., a full remission of all temporal punishment; or they may be partial, i.e., a remission of part of the temporal punishment. Contrary to popular understanding, the number of days specified in a partial indulgence does not denote a reduction of time in purgatory. The practice of quantifying indulgences stems from ancient usage, when actual public penance was imposed and remitted for specified periods as the church saw fit. Hence, the penitent who is granted an indulgence receives merit as if he had performed actual penance for the length of time specified. The degree of merit varies with the disposition of the penitent. The notion that this practice encourages moral laxity is denied by the church, since the penitent must be in a state of grace and the attachment to even a single venial sin will reduce the effectiveness of the indulgence. Indulgences won for souls in purgatory are applied only as God wills. Martin Luther protested against the sale and abuse of indulgences and came to reject the teaching altogether. Since the Council of Trent (1562) the buying and selling of indulgences has been unlawful.

indulgences. Arising in crusading times—first in 1063—from Roman law concepts, they became an integral part of every late medieval crusader's—and pilgrim's—commitment. After sacramental confession, absolution, and penance, the church, on God's behalf also, from the treasury of merit built up by Christ and the saints, granted the sinner remission of ‘temporal penalties’ still inevitable after sin. Later, widespread abuse, often financial, made religious commitment mechanistic, and indulgences vulnerable to attack from 16th-cent. reformers. The Thirty-Nine Articles condemned ‘the Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory, Pardons’ as unscriptural. The Council of Trent (1545–63) and second Vatican Council (1961–5), while condemning their abuse, commended their continued use as ‘beneficial to Christians’.

Revd Dr William M. Marshall

in·dul·gence / inˈdəljəns/ • n. 1. the action or fact of indulging: indulgence in self-pity. ∎  the state or attitude of being indulgent or tolerant: she regarded his affairs with a casual, slightly amused indulgence. ∎  a thing that is indulged in; a luxury: Claire collects shoes—it is her indulgence. 2. chiefly hist. (in the Roman Catholic Church) a grant by the pope of remission of the temporal punishment in purgatory still due for sins after absolution. The unrestricted sale of indulgences by pardoners was a widespread abuse during the later Middle Ages. 3. an extension of the time in which a bill or debt has to be paid.

in·dulge / inˈdəlj/ • v. [intr.] (indulge in) allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of: we indulged in some hot fudge sundaes. ∎  become involved in (an activity, typically one that is undesirable or disapproved of): I don't indulge in idle gossip. ∎ inf. allow oneself to enjoy a particular pleasure, esp. that of alcohol: I only indulge on special occasions. ∎  [tr.] satisfy or yield freely to (a desire or interest): she was able to indulge a growing passion for literature. ∎  [tr.] allow (someone) to enjoy a desired pleasure: I spent time indulging myself with secret feasts. DERIVATIVES: in·dulg·er n.

indulgence In Roman Catholic theology, remission of temporal punishment for sin. An indulgence, once granted, obviates the need for the sinner to do penance, although it does not necessarily remove guilt, and may be only a partial rather than a full (plenary) indulgence. Previously available from bishops, today they are granted only by the pope. The sale of indulgences was among the principal causes of the Reformation.

indulge treat with underserved favour, gratify by compliance XVII; give free course to XVII; take one's pleasure freely in XVIII. — L. indulgēre, of uncert. orig.
So indulgence XIV. — (O)F. — L. indulgent XVI. — F. or L. indult special licence or privilege. XVI (first in Sc.). — F. — late L. indultum, sb. use of n. pp. of indulgēre.

Indulgence. In Roman Catholic practice, a remission by the Church of the temporal penalty due to sin, even when forgiven, in virtue of the merits of Christ and the saints. The granting of indulgences is now generally confined to the pope. The unrestricted sale, in the later Middle Ages, of indulgences by professional pardoners, was an abuse against which the Reformation protested.

indulgence in the Roman Catholic Church, a grant by the Pope of remission of the temporal punishment in purgatory still due for sins after absolution. The unrestricted sale of indulgences by pardoners was a widespread abuse during the later Middle Ages.

indulge •bilge •bulge, divulge, indulge, promulge

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