noun
indulgence
A Church-granted reduction or removal of punishment remaining after sins are forgiven.
A Catholic may receive an indulgence after meeting the Church's conditions.
Etymology
The Latin noun means leniency or favor. The Church term specializes that granting of mercy to the remission of temporal punishment remaining after forgiveness of sin.
More examples
- A plenary indulgence removes all temporal punishment for sins already forgiven.
- A partial indulgence removes only part of that remaining punishment.
- The priest explains that indulgences do not forgive sins.
Forms
indulgence · indulgences
Similar words
- remission
- Remission means reduction or cancellation, not necessarily granted by the Church.
- absolution
- Absolution forgives sins; an indulgence remits punishment remaining afterward.