Dinner and Discourse: Purgatory Explained
Alan Charnock
Issue date: 11/8/06 Section: News
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Dinner and Discourse this past week was titled "Purgatory: The Christian Answer to Reincarnation." This particular talk fell on an auspicious date: October 31, All Hallow's Eve and Reformation Day. The weight of the day lent a certain atmosphere to the discussion - a comparison and contrast of purgatory and reincarnation. After a dinner of salad and pasta Father Philip Powell introduced Brother David Seid, who gave the 30 minute talk on purgatory.
Brother Seid began by saying that "purgatory is my favorite doctrine of the Catholic Church," and then quickly explained what Catholics mean by purgatory. Because every wrong committed may not be corrected in this life, an individual may die with "unfinished business" says Brother Seid, and it is through the grace of God that He has established an "anteroom" to heaven in which souls who are not ready for paradise may purify themselves.
Brother Seid, whose religious heritage consisted of Buddhism and Confucionism before becoming a Christian, related how the East believes in "unfinished business" as well, but believes that reincarnation is the means of completing what is left undone. He illustrated how karmic justice is apparent to both the East and the West, but while reincarnation requires many thousands of lifetimes before reaching nirvana, God's purgatory is one-stop purification for the faithful - a "second chance at heaven for those not quite rid of their self love." Brother Seid made it clear that while many think of purgatory as a place of punishment, it is rather a gift of purification and spiritual growth. It can be painful but Brother Seid said it is a joyous pain, because every moment of purgatory brings the soul closer to God.
Combining the idea of reincarnation with contemporary Western thought can lead to a belief in "spiritual loopholes" and amorality. This belief is a fallacy, which precludes the classic view of reincarnation, namely that when the soul reincarnates there is residual negative karma to erase. This "modern myth of progress" - a series of lifetimes leading to eventual self-realization - is not only false, but also dangerous said Brother Seid. The doctrine of purgatory is God's gift to those not ready to enter heaven. His mercy saves us all from countless lifetimes of struggle before reaching rest and paradise.
Brother Seid began by saying that "purgatory is my favorite doctrine of the Catholic Church," and then quickly explained what Catholics mean by purgatory. Because every wrong committed may not be corrected in this life, an individual may die with "unfinished business" says Brother Seid, and it is through the grace of God that He has established an "anteroom" to heaven in which souls who are not ready for paradise may purify themselves.
Brother Seid, whose religious heritage consisted of Buddhism and Confucionism before becoming a Christian, related how the East believes in "unfinished business" as well, but believes that reincarnation is the means of completing what is left undone. He illustrated how karmic justice is apparent to both the East and the West, but while reincarnation requires many thousands of lifetimes before reaching nirvana, God's purgatory is one-stop purification for the faithful - a "second chance at heaven for those not quite rid of their self love." Brother Seid made it clear that while many think of purgatory as a place of punishment, it is rather a gift of purification and spiritual growth. It can be painful but Brother Seid said it is a joyous pain, because every moment of purgatory brings the soul closer to God.
Combining the idea of reincarnation with contemporary Western thought can lead to a belief in "spiritual loopholes" and amorality. This belief is a fallacy, which precludes the classic view of reincarnation, namely that when the soul reincarnates there is residual negative karma to erase. This "modern myth of progress" - a series of lifetimes leading to eventual self-realization - is not only false, but also dangerous said Brother Seid. The doctrine of purgatory is God's gift to those not ready to enter heaven. His mercy saves us all from countless lifetimes of struggle before reaching rest and paradise.
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