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To: stfassisi; Kolokotronis
Many early Church Fathers certainly believed in purgatory, as seen in these writings...

You are missing the point. Theologoumenna are theological hypotheses expressed by individual fathers. They were not of themselves Church "doctrine." Concensus patrum or Ecumenical Council was required. St. Gregory of Nyssa, a student of Origen, for instance also taught for a while universal salvation of all souls, a serious Gnostic error, before he recanted of Origen's influence.

The Church as a whole did not teach or know anything called "Purgatory" in the first millennium, nor were there heresies that would have necessitated an eccelsial response to such errors.

The Church always believed that the souls of the departed are in an intermediate state followoing physical death and particular judgment immediately following), and always prayed for the departed souls to ease their discomfort.

The souls of the saved experience discomfort through shame as their unrepented sins are revealed in full and as they stand "naked" before God and all the saints. The period from particular to Final Judgment is a period of purification, through prayers, commemorative services, fasting, etc. not by being roasted to God's "satifaction." The fires they feel are not real fires, but God's love which burns all sinners confornted with Truth.

10,609 posted on 11/06/2007 6:41:42 PM PST by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: kosta50
The Church always believed that the souls of the departed are in an intermediate state followoing physical death and particular judgment immediately following), and always prayed for the departed souls to ease their discomfort.

The souls of the saved experience discomfort through shame as their unrepented sins are revealed in full and as they stand "naked" before God and all the saints. The period from particular to Final Judgment is a period of purification, through prayers, commemorative services, fasting, etc. not by being roasted to God's "satifaction." The fires they feel are not real fires, but God's love which burns all sinners confornted with Truth.

Dear Kosta, This actually explains purgation of sin very well.

10,675 posted on 11/07/2007 10:27:50 AM PST by stfassisi ("Above all gifts that Christ gives his beloved is that of overcoming self"St Francis Assisi)
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