Purgatory In Judaism

Sometimes when I tell people that purgatory is not a doctrine Catholics invented but one that predates Christianity (cf., 2 Maccabees 12:44-45) and thus finds a place in historic Judaism they disbelieve me .

THEY SHOULDN’T.

I’VE EVEN POINTED OUT THAT THE MOURNER’S KADDISH IS THE JEWISH EQUIVALENT TO THE CHRISTIAN PRACTICE OF PRAYING FOR THOSE IN PURGATORY.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

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