So, how should we respond when Catholic family members talk about purgatory?
This November, our Catholic relatives may talk about (probably will talk about) the “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory,” a time when they pray and offer sacrifices for loved ones who’ve passed away, believing those souls are being purified before entering heaven.
As a Bible-believing Christian, I definitely believe that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8), and that Christ’s sacrifice was once for all (Hebrews 10:10-14). So, again, the idea of an ongoing process after death, like purgatory, feels at odds with the finished work of the cross.
Still, I want to speak with grace, especially when these conversations come up around the table. We have dinner together most Sunday evenings. I’d never want to create unnecessary division, but I also don’t want to pretend I agree.
How have you approached this kind of situation?