Sale of Indulgences

The sale of indulgences was a practice in the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages where people could pay money to reduce the time their souls would spend in purgatory after death. The church believed that these payments granted spiritual benefits, such as forgiveness for sins or a quicker journey to heaven. Over time, this practice became controversial because it was seen as commodifying salvation. Critics argued it undermined true repentance and moral effort, leading to widespread reform movements like the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century.