GCSE Religious Studies · key term

Indulgence

Definition

In Catholic teaching, the remission of temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, granted through the Church under prescribed conditions.

Used by Edexcel

How each exam board covers it

Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A · 1RA0

Specification 3.6 · Paper 1, Paper 2

One crucial controversy concerned indulgences. An indulgence was understood as removing temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt had already been forgiven. ‘Temporal punishment’ meant punishment or purification that remained after forgiveness, rather than eternal separation from God.
Revise: Growth and Development of the Church

Edexcel Religious Studies A past papers