What term describes the practice in the Catholic Church where payments were made for sin remission?

The practice described is known as indulgences, which were a significant issue during the late Middle Ages and the Protestant Reformation. Indulgences allowed individuals to purchase a reduction of the temporal punishment for their sins. Essentially, it was believed that those who bought indulgences could lessen the time they or their loved ones had to spend in purgatory, thus providing a way to obtain spiritual benefits through monetary payment.

This concept became particularly contentious because it was seen as a commercialization of salvation and sparked criticism from reformers like Martin Luther, who argued against the misuse of such practices. The sale of indulgences highlighted deeper issues within the Church regarding the nature of repentance, forgiveness, and the relationship between faith and works. Thus, the term indulgences encapsulates a critical historical and theological development within the Catholic Church that has had lasting effects on Christianity.