FAITH OF OUR FATHERS - FR. HUGH BARBOUR, O.PRAEM

Purgatory
The Church Fathers explain the biblical basis of this historic Christian teaching.

There's hardly a word in the theological vocabulary of Christianity that sounds more Catholic than "purgatory." And although these days Catholics may not hear much about this dogma of faith (solemnly defined by two ecumenical councils), purgatory is as real as ever.

In this issue, we'll focus specifically on the existence of purgatory and what the early Church Fathers taught on this subject. (The related issues of what the early Christians believed about prayer for the dead and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, will be saved for another time and not dealt with directly here.)

Tertullian

In the Sermon on the Mount, in a single context, (Matthew 5, 21-26) Our Lord speaks of both temporal and eternal punishment for sin, the Gehenna of fire, and a "prison" where one will not be released until he has paid the "last penny." Catholic tradition has always interpreted this passage as referring to the expiation of sins in the life to come. An early witness of this understanding is Tertullian, writing around A.D. 208:

"To sum up, since that 'prison' which the Gospel indicates we understand to mean the place of the departed (inferos, not the hell of damnation, but a place of expectation, as in the Apostles' Creed ed. note), and the 'last penny' we interpret to mean even a small fault which must be expiated there before the resurrection, no one shall doubt that the soul will pay something in the place of the departed spirits before the fullness of the resurrection in the flesh" (On the Soul, 58; A.D.208.

St. Cyprian of Carthage

St. Cyprian, the martyr bishop of Carthage, is more explicit in teaching the expiation of the Christian's faults in the world to come. Those who are perfect by reason of virtue or the merit of martyrdom, are rewarded immediately, but those who as yet unready must be purified:

"It is one thing to await pardon, another to arrive at glory, one thing to be sent to prison so as not to come out until after the last penny is paid, another to receive immediately the recompense of faith and virtue, one thing to be unburdened and purified of one's sins by a long suffering in fire, and another thing still to have wiped out all one's faults by martyrdom, one thing to be in expectation until the day of judgment by sentence of the Lord, another to be immediately crowned by Him" (Letter 55; A.D. 251).

Lactantius

In the first decade of the next century, the rhetorician and apologist Lactantius, known as the "Christian Cicero," because of the perfection of his Latin style, wrote about purgatory while he was teaching Latin rhetoric to the Greeks of Asia Minor. He points out that although some of the just will come to God's judgment already fully purified, others will have to undergo some purification according to the number and gravity of their sins:

"When God judges the just, he will also try them with fire. Then those who surpass the others in the weight or number of their sins will be detained by fire . . . those however whom the fullness of justice and the maturity of virtue have already 'baked' will not feel that fire" (The Divine Institutes, 7,21; A.D. 305).

This is perfectly in accord with what St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3: 11-15: "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble-each man's work will become manifest; for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."

St. Augustine

St. Augustine explains that St. Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 3 is plainly referring to the Catholic doctrine of purgatory:

"Let me not be among those to whom thou wilt say: 'Depart into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels' nor 'chastise me in thy wrath.' Do thou cleanse me in this life and make me such that I shall have no need to pass through the purifying flames prepared for those who will be saved 'yet so as by fire.' Why? Is it not because in this world they are building upon a foundation of wood, hay, stubble? If they constructed with gold, silver, precious stones, they would be safe from both kinds of fire, not only from the everlasting fire which will torment the wicked forever and ever, but also from that which will purify those who are to be saved by fire. For we are told: 'He himself will be saved, yet so as by fire.' And because of the phrase 'shall be saved,' that fire is not taken seriously enough. Clearly, although they will be saved by fire, yet that fire will be more grievous than anything a man is capable of bearing in this life . . . The evils of this life, then, are far easier to bear; and yet see how eagerly men will do anything you command rather than suffer them. How much better it would be for them, to do what God commands, to avoid suffering those heavier penalties!" (Discourse on Psalm 37,3; A.D. 395)

"But if this passage (of 1 Corinthians) is to interpret that fire of which the Lord shall say to those on His left hand, 'Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire,' so that among these we are to believe that there are those who build on the foundation of wood, hay, stubble, and that they, in virtue of the good foundation, shall after a time be liberated from the fire that is the award of their evil deserts, what then shall we think of those on the right hand, to whom it shall be said, 'Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you,' unless that they are those who have built on the foundation gold, silver, precious stones. But if the fire of which Our Lord speaks is the same as that of which the apostle says 'Yet so as by fire,' then both, that is to say, both those on the right as well as those on the left - are to be cast into it. For that fire is to try both, since it is said, 'For the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.' If therefore, the fire shall try both, in order that (i.e., if the superstructure be not consumed by the fire), he may receive a reward, and that if his work is burned he may suffer loss, certainly that fire is not the eternal fire itself. For into this latter fire only those on the left hand shall be cast, and that with final and everlasting doom; but that former fire proves those on the right hand. But some of them it so proves that it does not burn and consume the structure which is found to have been built by them on Christ as the foundation; while others of them it proves in another fashion so as to burn what they have built up, and thus cause them to suffer loss, while they themselves are saved because they have retained Christ, who was laid as their sure foundation, and have loved Him above all" (The City of God, XXI; A.D. 426).

St. Caesarius of Arles

Born in Southern France in A.D. 470, just as the Western Roman Empire was disappearing from existence, St. Caesarius of Arles was a tireless bishop and theologian. He took his duty of preaching to the faithful very seriously. The 238 sermons attributed to him which still exist, give a clear picture of the status quo of Latin Christianity at the end of the classical era, and the remote beginning of the Middle Ages. He's clear about the biblical nature of purgatorial suffering:

"However, those sins which are slight, although they are known to everyone, and it would be too time consuming to repeat them all, it would still be helpful to name a few of them. As often as someone takes more food or drink than would be necessary, he should know that this is counted among lesser sins. As also, for example, when someone speaks more than he should or keeps silence too much . . . Even though we do not believe that the soul is killed by such sins, still they make it ugly with pustules and revolting blemishes, so that they scarcely allow the soul to enter into the embrace of the heavenly spouse without great embarrassment...If furthermore we have neglected to give praise to God in our troubles, or have not redeemed our sins with good works, then we will have as long a time of waiting in that purgatorial fire as it takes for the aforementioned smaller sins to be consumed, as wood, straw, and stubble. Perhaps someone will say 'It doesn't matter to me how long I have to wait, as long as I reach eternal life.' Let no one say this dearest brothers, because that purgatorial fire will be harsher than any kind of pain which can be thought, seen, or felt in the present world" (Sermon 104, 2; A.D. 535).

Pope St. Gregory the Great

St. Gregory the Great, the Pope who sent the first missionaries to bring the faith to England, gave in the sixth century the fullest treatment of the doctrine of purgatory in the Fathers. He adds to Augustine's theological reflections on 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 with his own exegesis of another famous purgatory text, Matthew 12:32. Unlike many patristic texts which link the fire of purgatory to the fire of the last judgment (as in the passage we just saw from St. Augustine's City of God), St. Gregory relates purgatorial suffering with the penance accomplished in this life before death:

"Peter: 'I should like to know if we have to believe in a cleansing fire after death.'

"Gregory: 'In the Gospel Our Lord says, "Finish your journey while you still have the light." And in the words of the Prophet He declares, "In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in the day of salvation I have helped thee." St. Paul's comment on this is: "And here is the time of pardon; the day of salvation has come already." Solomon, too, says, "Anything you can turn your hand to, do with what power you have; for there will be no work, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the nether world where you are going." And David adds, "For his mercy endures forever." From these quotations it is clear that each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet there must be some cleansing fire before judgment, because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away. Does not Christ, the Truth, say that if anyone blasphemes against the Holy Spirit he shall not be forgiven "either in this world or in the world to come"? From this statement we learn that some sins can be forgiven in this world and some in the world to come. For, if forgiveness is refused for a particular sin, we conclude logically that it is granted for others. This must apply, as I said, to slight transgressions, such as persistent idle talking, immoderate laughter, or blame in the care of property, which can scarcely be administered without fault even by those who know the faults to be avoided, or errors due to ignorance in matters of no great importance. All these faults are troublesome for the soul after death if they are not forgiven while one is still alive. For when St. Paul says that Christ is the foundation, he adds: "But on this foundation different men will build in gold, silver, precious stones, wood grass, or straw...and fire will test the quality of each man's workmanship. He will receive a reward, if the building he had added on stands firm, if it is burnt up, he will be the loser, and yet he himself will be saved, though only as men are saved as passing by fire." Although this may be taken to signify the fire of suffering we experience in this life, it may also refer to the cleansing fire of the world to come, and, if one accepts it in this sense, one must weigh St. Paul's words carefully. When he says that men are saved by passing through fire, he is not referring to men who build on this foundation in iron, bronze, or lead, that is, in mortal sins which are indestructible by fire. He specifies those who build on this foundation in wood grass, and straw, that is, in venial or trivial sins which fire consumes easily'" (Dialogues IV, 41; A.D.593).

There's copious evidence in the Eastern Church showing that the doctrine of purgatory was universally held from the very earliest days of the Church. The only caution is that one has to be careful not to be misled by one thing. Many Greek writers, as well as some Latin ones under Greek influence, have been influenced in their thought and expression by the doctrines of Origen. Origen taught that hell would have an end, and that ultimately all would return to God. He made of hell a kind of temporary purgatory, which would include even those who died as God's enemies. This teaching was condemned as a heresy in the implementation of the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople in the sixth century. Related to this was the philosophical doctrine of the Stoics about the great conflagration which would end each age, after which the whole process would start over again in an eternal return and repetition. In quoting the Eastern Fathers as authorities for purgatory, one has to be careful not to use texts influenced by these ideas in the years before they were officially condemned by the Church. This Origenist heresy has, even to this day, made the Eastern Orthodox very wary of speaking of any purification of souls by fire, even to the point of accusing the Latin Fathers of error. But if we stick to the plain and traditional interpretation of Sacred Scripture we've been seeing in the Latin Fathers from North Africa, we won't go wrong. Here are some solid Eastern examples:

St. Basil the Great

"I think that the strenuous athletes of God, who fought so much their whole lives with invisible enemies, after they have escaped all their attacks, are examined at the end of their lives by the Lord so that if they be found to retain in themselves any wounds from their battles, or any remnants of sin, they are imprisoned, but if they are found unwounded and spotless, then they rest with Christ, unconcerned and free" (On Psalm 7,2; A.D. 365).

"When God delivers the spirit from earthly attachments by his avenging fire, it is a benefit for the soul . . . (unlike the damned) God does not threaten it with utter ruin, but he indicates the soul's purification, according to the words of the Apostle: 'If any man's work is burnt up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire'" (Commentary on Isaiah 10,20; A.D. 375).

St. Gregory Nazianzen

With charitable irony, Nazianzen expresses his hope that the purgatorial fire will in the end purge their pride, just as it purges the sins of those sinners whom these purists disdain:

"Let none of you, even though he has much confidence in himself, dare to say, 'Touch me not for I am pure, for who is so pure as I?' Give us, too, a share in your brightness. But perhaps we are not convincing you? Then we will weep for you. Let these men then if they will, follow our way, which is Christ's way; but if they will not, let them go their own. Perhaps they will be baptized with fire, in that last baptism which is more painful and longer, which devours wood like grass, and consumes the stubble of every evil" (Oration on the Holy Lights 19; A.D. 381).

St. Maximos the Confessor

Saint Maximos the Confessor is regarded by Eastern Christians as one of the most perfect exponents of their spirituality. His teaching on the necessity of expiation for sin after death is unambiguous. He explains the meaning of the statement "In the world to come certain ones will be judged and purified by fire."

"This purification does not concern those who have arrived at a perfect love of God, but those who have not reached complete perfection, and whose virtues are mixed in with sins. These latter will appear before the tribunal of judgment, and, following an examination of their good and evil actions, they will be tried as by fire; their bad works will be expiated by a just fear and pain" (Questions and Doubts on The Church, the Liturgy, and the Soul of Man, question 10; A.D. 649).

The Byzantine Greek Divine Liturgy

"The most compassionate Lord and Lover of souls once showed to one of the Holy Fathers who had a disciple who had lived carelessly and had died in that state of carelessness, the same very disciple up to his neck in fire, burning like the rich man in the parable of Lazarus and Dives. Then when the elder afflicted himself with many penitential labors, imploring God with constant tears, he saw the disciple again, this time immersed in the flames up to his belt. After this the elder added penance to penance, and God showed the man to the elder free and completely delivered from the fire" (On Those Who Have Fallen Asleep in the Faith 11; A.D. 745).

References

Additional texts from the Church Fathers on purgatory and prayer for the dead:

St. Clement of Alexandra: Stromata 7:113 (A.D. 210); Eusebius: The Life Constantine 4:71 (A.D. 335); St. Cyril of Jerusalem: Mystagogical Catechesis 5:9 (A.D. 350); St. Epiphanius of Salamis: Panarion 75:8 (A.D. 374); St. John Chrysostom: Homilies on 1 Corinthians 41:4 (A.D. 390); Homilies on Acts 21:4 (A.D. 400); St. Ambrose of Milan: On the Death of His Brother Styrus 1:80 (A.D. 378); On the Death of Theodosius 36:37 (A.D. 395); Homily on Psalm 118 3:14-16 (A.D. 390); St. Jerome: Letter 66 5 (A.D. 397); St. Augustine: On the Care of the Dead 1:3 (A.D. 424); Sermon 182 2 (A.D. 417); Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Charity 110 (A.D. 421); Confessions 9:13 (A.D. 400); St. Paulinas of Nola: Letter 28 2 (A.D. 415); St. Gregory the Great: Moralia on Job 15, 19 (A.D. 596); St. Isidore of Seville: On the Order of Created Things 14:13 (A.D. 623).

(Catholic teaching on the doctrine of purgatory is explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraphs 1030-1032, 1054-1055).