 | The Reverend Doctor Cathy Northrup was born in Ft. Meade, MD, and was raised in a variety of places in the United State and Germany, as her father was in Counter Intelligence with the Army. She graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN, with a double major in English and Religion. She graduated from Georgetown Law Center in Washington, DC, and practiced law with the Federal Reserve Board for a number of years before attending Union Theological Seminaryin Richmond, VA. She graduated from Union, and served several churches in North and South Carolina, at the same time obtaining her Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ. Dr. Northrup is currently the Pastor/Head of Staff of First Presbyterian Church, Wichita, KS. She is married and has two black Labrador dogs who were rescued from abusive situations. You can contact Dr. Northrup at cnorthrup@firstpresbywichita.org or by phone at (316) 263-0248, ext. 26. |
Religion
2008-10-01 08:48:00
What about Purgatory?
Question: Often you hear of Purgatory, particularly from Catholics. Many say it is never mentioned in the Bible. What is meant in First Corinthians 3:15? Is this verse describing Purgatory?
Answer: The issue of what the Catholic Church says on purgatory is best answered by someone who is more familiar with current Catholic doctrine than I am. I do know that purgatory was once a part of Catholic beliefs, but I recall reading in the paper a while ago that the church had formally changed its position on it. Protestants, however, do not believe in purgatory, as we do not understand the Bible to speak of it. Further, that purgatory is supposed to be a place where dead sinners are further “purified” to go to heaven is antithetical to our understanding of God’s grace. We believe we are saved only by God’s grace and not by anything we do or others do on our behalf.
Regarding your question on 1 Corinthians 3:15, I do not understand that verse to be about purgatory. It comes in the context of Paul speaking to the Corinthian church about divisions within the church due to various people saying they follow various leaders. He says in previous verses that all those who began, nurtured, and led the church are God’s fellow workers building the church, Christ’s body. He has also said that each leader is building on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and what each leader adds will ultimately be tested by God. In verse 15, he makes the point that God will be the final judge of the value of each leader’s work. The language about fire is metaphorical.
