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| 5. http://prayerfoundation.org/luther_nails_95%20theses.htm Martin Luther posting his 95 Theses (from the movie Luther) |
It was in 1517, when Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the doors of Wittenburg Castle Church protesting the selling of indulgences. After observing how the Church was abusing the selling of indulgences a year before and preaching against them for a while, he became enraged of how people were being taken advantage of and put his thoughts into writing. (English Bible History)
The Theses was a series of propositions argueing agaisnt the selling of indulgences. Throughout the 95 points that Luther makes during his Theses, he makes three main arguements. The first is that the selling of indulgences to help finance the construction of St. Peter's is wrong. He asks the rhetorical question: "If the Pope is so rich and powerful, why can't he finance St. Peter's with his own money?" Secondly he states that the Pope has no power over Purgatory. He claims that buying an indulgence doesn't remove guilt nor does it explain why the Pope can't just exempt everyone from Purgatory if he has that power and remove it all together. And lastly, he argues buying indulgences gives people a false sense of security and endangers their salvation. (Summary of 95 Theses)
The 95 Theses was originally written in Latin but was then tranlated into German and with help of the printing press, it was distributed and spread throughout Germany. Copies were further distributed to Pope Leo X. All these points worked together to make Luther's 95 Theses, and trigger the Reformation.
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| 6. http://www.mygermancity.com/wittenberg-district Map of Wittenburg area |
The Theses was a series of propositions argueing agaisnt the selling of indulgences. Throughout the 95 points that Luther makes during his Theses, he makes three main arguements. The first is that the selling of indulgences to help finance the construction of St. Peter's is wrong. He asks the rhetorical question: "If the Pope is so rich and powerful, why can't he finance St. Peter's with his own money?" Secondly he states that the Pope has no power over Purgatory. He claims that buying an indulgence doesn't remove guilt nor does it explain why the Pope can't just exempt everyone from Purgatory if he has that power and remove it all together. And lastly, he argues buying indulgences gives people a false sense of security and endangers their salvation. (Summary of 95 Theses)
The 95 Theses was originally written in Latin but was then tranlated into German and with help of the printing press, it was distributed and spread throughout Germany. Copies were further distributed to Pope Leo X. All these points worked together to make Luther's 95 Theses, and trigger the Reformation.
Click to see Martin Luther's full 95 Theses: http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/history/95theses.htm
