On September 13, Mrs. Angela Smithhisler’s modern world history class did a simulation of the Catholic Church selling indulgences during the Renaissance era. In that time period, paying to be forgiven for a sin was a regular practice.  

The simulation was to go up to the pope and pay him to give the petitioner a piece of paper (indulgence) to forgive the person of ‘sins’ or wrong doings.

Kylee Rutledge, a member of the class of 2021 participated in this activity, and loved it. “It was a learning experience, and it was funny.”

Some of the ‘sins’ given to the students were using foul language, being too prideful, envying their neighbor, and being a heretic.

The pope, sophomore Noah Wilkes, would then decide if the person giving him the ‘sin’ was worth receiving an indulgence. His decisions weren’t really based on wrong–doing but, instead, on random reasons.

Because the Catholic church had so much connection to government and leadership, this created corruption.  The Church outlawed buy indulgeneces in the late 1500’s. Plenary indulgence is a part of Catholocism today.