Before it was a "place," purgation was often described as a state of existence or a series of "toll houses" (in Eastern traditions) where the soul was tested. 🌍 The "Birth" of a Third Place (1150–1200 AD)
The rise of the middle class and urban life influenced this. Just as there was a social middle between the rich and poor, theology created a middle between the saint and the damned. The Birth of Purgatory
In the 16th century, Martin Luther and John Calvin rejected Purgatory as an "unbiblical invention" used to exploit the poor through the sale of indulgences. Before it was a "place," purgation was often
Purgatory was first defined as official Catholic doctrine at the Second Council of Lyon (1274) and later at the Council of Florence (1439) . Before it was a "place