Standing in the Protestant Reformation tradition, ELCA Lutherans reject the Roman Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory. The reformers openly repudiated the doctrine as unscriptural and a denial of complete forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ’s saving work. In their understanding, those saved by faith in Christ are resurrected directly to heaven.
Defining purgatory
According to traditional Roman Catholic teaching, purgatory is the place - or state - in which those who have died in the grace of God atone for venial sins (those not totally preventing God’s grace from working in the sinner’s life*). Here they are to undergo due punishment before being admitted to God’s sight in heaven. The doctrine evolved alongside the ancient Christian practice of praying and offering the Eucharist (Mass) for the dead, a practice datable to the late second century, A.D. More specifically, it provided clarification concerning the state of being between death and the last judgement.
The foundation of the Roman Church’s doctrine is found in St. Augustine’s monumental work "City of God" (written 413-426), amplified by Thomas Aquinas (ca.1225-74), and eventually defined at the councils of Lyons (1274) and Florence (1439). The Roman Catholic Church is reserved about descriptions of purgatory, the most credited being those of St. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510). 2 Maccabees 12:39-45 is often cited in support of the doctrine ("Therefore he [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.").
Purgatory, the Lutheran Reformation and Biblical theology
The doctrine played a significant role in the Lutheran Reformation. The practice of purchasing indulgences (i.e., certificates which promised to "free" their dead loved ones’ souls from purgatory) from a so-called church treasury of stored up "merits" of the saints in heaven brought Martin Luther into sharp conflict Pope Leo X. Selling indulgences was a chief instrument used to finance the construction of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. Later, Luther was to say, "Now it is my opinion that in all of Scripture there is not a mention of purgatory that could pass the test in case of dispute or be appealed to with conviction. As far as the book of Maccabees in concerned, since it is not in the canon, (see Apocrypha) it is of course convincing to believers but powerless against the stiff necked." Luther made clear that the weight of individual biblical statements must be tested throughout.
ELCA Lutherans uphold Luther’s contention that scriptural authority must be understood from the "center" of Scripture, which is the Christ. Often cited and seemingly most germane are Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:42-43, NRSV).
* The church of the middle ages also spoke of ‘mortal’ (unforgivable) sins. The Reformers rejected this two-fold classification of sin, noting that God provides the truly repentant forgiveness for all sins in Christ.
Bernard Lohse, Luther’s Theology: Its Historical and Systematic Development, pg. 124-125, Augsburg Fortress 1999.