Abuses within the Roman Church Pre-Reformation
- Sale of Indulgences – granting clemency from purgatory for money offered to the Church. Martin Luther described this as “buying your way into heaven.” Much of this money was used to rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Nepotism – the practice of using one’s position within the Church to gain positions for family relatives elsewhere in the organisation.
- Pluralism – the practice of occupying more than one office or position within the Church at the same time.
- Simony – the sale of religious positions
- Absenteeism – regularly being absent from one’s diocese or office within the Church.
