Passports to Heaven? A Peculiar History of Indulgences

Late medieval indulgences have a bad reputation in the public mind. Most people today, perhaps, recall them principally as one catalyst for Martin Luther's attack on the Catholic Church. But were they nothing more than a scam in which the naive were conned into believing they could buy their passage to heaven? In reality, the granting of indulgences was a far more nuanced phenomenon, which in Catholic Europe continued long after the Lutheran Reformation. In her Curious Histories' talk, Elizabeth Tingle explores these maligned practices, and the system behind them, to reveal their complex nature and why their reputation became tarnished.

Our speaker:

Elizabeth Tingle is Professor Emerita in Early Modern European History at Leicester De Montfort University. She is a widely published expert on the Counter Reformation, sixteenth century pilgrimages, and the French wars of religion. Her books include Sacred Journeys in the Counter-Reformation and Indulgences after Luther .

Our charity:

All proceeds from ticket sales will go to help the community work of St. John's in Hove, including the Cornerstone food bank.

On 2nd July, you will receive an email that will give you the Zoom link and instructions to join the event. If you have any queries you can contact the organiser on our facebook page.