The doctrine of purgatory is one of the most misunderstood teachings within the Catholic Church. It is misunderstood by both lifelong Catholics and non-Catholics. So what is purgatory? Why does the church believe in it? What purpose does it serve? Where do we find it in the bible?

What Purgatory is Not

Purgatory is so misunderstood that it is actually easier to start by discussing what purgatory is not. Purgatory is not a third option. Purgatory is not a place your soul enters after death because you were too good to go to Hell and not good enough to go to heaven. Purgatory is not a second chance.  It is not a place the soul goes to get a do-over. The decisions we make in life have eternal consequences. All souls will face a final judgment at the time of death. At this time, the destiny of each soul is set. Some are bound for heaven and others (hopefully very few) are bound for Hell.

All souls that enter purgatory lived life in such a way that they are ultimately bound for heaven.  However, often times one dies in state of attachment to worldly things that will be absent in heaven. As long as the soul is attached to worldly things it will be unable to truly experience of the joys of heaven, for it will always be in a state of longing.   

The term purgatory comes from the verb “to purge.” Purgatory is then as much a state as a place. It is a state of transition in which, “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.” (CCC 1030) In other words, purification is a necessary process by which the soul is prepared to fully enjoy heaven and the longings for the things of earth are removed. “The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.” (CCC 1031)

C.S. Lewis in his novel “The Great Divorce” provides perhaps the greatest allegorical example of the need for purification and transformation in all of literature. In the story, the main character mistakenly boards a bus and arrives at a shadowy land which lies at the base of the mountain of God. Here he encounters a number of ghosts. The most memorable ghost is a small and frail creature with a red lizard attached to his shoulder. Unfortunately, due to the behavior of this lizard, the ghost is unable to enter heaven as long as the lizard is attached. An angel appears and offers to remove the lizard, but the only way to do so is by killing it. In the course of conversation both the lizard and ghost protest. Removing the lizard will be painful. The ghost will become less of a man. How can he live without the lizard forever? Finally, the ghost permits the angel to destroy the lizard and at that moment the ghost is transformed again into the fullness of a man but with enormous stature. The dead lizard itself is transformed into a giant stallion which the man leaps upon and rides into heaven. (The Great Divorce. C.S. Lewis. Harper Collins Publishers. 1946.) Here surrender and detachment become the vehicle to heaven.

Where is Purgatory in the Bible?

Purgatory is not a made up doctrine with no biblical support. Rather, it is supported by a long practice of praying for the dead (because of our belief in the resurrection). It is rooted in the belief that God “… is not God of the dead but of the living.” (Mark 12:27) and the deceased need for our prayer is attested to by ancient Jewish tradition. The Old Testament book of 2 Macabees describes the practice in ancient Israel.  “He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection in mind; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought.” (2 Macabees 12: 43-45) Furthermore, this practice is confirmed in modern times by the practice of gathering at a funeral in which the prayers of the community are routinely offered for the dead.

So why do the dead need our prayers? The book of revelation tells us that “nothing unclean” will enter heaven. (Revelation 21:27) Unfortunately, many die while attached to worldly items which prevent them from entering into complete union with God. Therefore, purification is necessary. Purification, however, is not a pleasant process. There is a sense of impending loss as described by C.S. Lewis.  Scripture describes it in the following manner.  “If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire [itself] will test the quality of each one’s work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

The foundation is laid by actions of our life and the bond we form with the Lord. However, not all bonds are equally pure. Some contain many additional attachments and are like the straw, while others are pure like precious stones. The purity of that bond is revealed in the final judgment at death after which the impurities must be burned away. For those with remaining attachments, “…that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.”  (1 Corinthians 3:15) Our prayers beg for them the grace to endure the process of purification. 

Header Imager Source: The Last Judgement (Memling) - Wikicommons PD