Questions: How did the practice of selling indulgences impact the disparity between the wealthy and the poor? It widened the gap between the wealthy and the poor.

The answer is: It widened the gap between the wealthy and the poor.

This option is incorrect because the practice of selling indulgences primarily benefited those who could afford to pay for them. Indulgences were often sold at a price that was prohibitive for the poor, meaning that only the wealthy could easily access these spiritual benefits.

This option is correct. The sale of indulgences allowed the wealthy to purchase forgiveness for their sins, which effectively widened the gap between the rich and the poor. The poor, who could not afford indulgences, were left without the same spiritual assurances, exacerbating existing social and economic disparities.

This option is incorrect. Rather than eliminating social class distinctions, the sale of indulgences reinforced them. The practice highlighted the differences between those who could afford to buy indulgences and those who could not, maintaining and even deepening the social stratification within the Church.