Martin Luther: The 95 Theses (1517)

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Martin Luther The 95 Theses (1517)

• Richard Fitzsimmons
• Strathallan School

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Introduction

• The 95 Theses were Luthers response to
  travelling salesmen such as Johan Tetzel (a
  Dominican friar) who were putting indulgences
  forward as a way of absolving peoples sins and
  reconciling them with God.
• Luther had already (Oct. 1516) preached against
  indulgences, and had written to Archbishop
  Albrecht of Manz complaining about the sales
  pitch of Tetzel
• He published his Theses on the door of the Church
  in Wittenberg as a way of inviting academic
  debate. He did not expect the reception the
  Theses found among ordinary people, nor the
  reaction he would provoke from the Church.
• Luther did not intend a split or a reformation in
  the Church

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The 95 Theses
Theses
Commentary

• Thesis 4
• As long as hatred of self remains the penalty of
  sin remains, that is, until we enter the kingdom
  of heaven
• Thesis 7
• God never remits guilt to anyone without at the
  same time humbling him in total submission to the
  priest, his representative

• Luther here asserts that man never ceases to be a
  sinner, and cannot make himself perfect in the
  eyes of God.
• One should not try to take the easy way out
  through indulgences, but rather show true
  repentance by accepting punishment

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The 95 Theses
Theses
Commentary

• Thesis 21
• Hence those preachers of Indulgences are wrong
  when they say that a man is absolved and saved
  from every penalty by the Popes Indulgences
• Thesis 27
• It is mere human talk to preach that the soul
  flies out of purgatory immediately the money
  clinks in the collection box

• Here, Luther asserts that the Church has no real
  power over the souls of the dead in purgatory,
  while also referring to the aforementioned jingle

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The 95 Theses
Theses
Commentary

• Thesis 32
• All those who believe themselves certain of
  salvation because of letters of pardon will be
  eternally damned, together with their teachers
• Thesis 38
• Yet the Popes remission and dispensation are in
  no way to be despised for as already said they
  proclaim the divine remission

• Luther here states that those who are lulled into
  believing that buying indulgences will bring
  salvation will themselves be damned.
• Also, he interestingly notes that indulgences are
  not to be totally dismissed as they do bring some
  solace to the weak and insecure.

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The 95 Theses
Theses
Commentary

• Thesis 50
• Christians should be taught that if the Pope knew
  the exactions of the preachers of Indulgences he
  would rather have the basilica of St Peter
  reduced to ashes than built with the skin, flesh
  and bone of his sheep
• Thesis 62
• The true treasure of the Church is the Holy
  Gospel of the glory and grace of God.

• This shows a harsh and provocative attack on the
  corrupt practices of indulgence sellers
• Luther praises the virtues of preaching the
  Gospel, the true word of God, which is in danger
  of being obscured by indulgences

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The 95 Theses
Theses
Commentary

• Thesis 86
• Since the Popes wealth is larger than that of
  the crassest Crassi of our time, why does he not
  build this one basilica of St Peter with his own
  money rather than with that of his faithful poor
  ?
• Thesis 94
• Christians should be encouraged to seek earnestly
  to follow Christ their Head through penalties,
  deaths and hells.

• Although these Theses were not meant for
  widespread circulation, one wonders if Luther
  knew that they might be circulated in German, for
  here is a point aimed directly at the common man,
  reinforcing widespread anticlerical sentiments
• Luther brings the Theses to a close with a
  reiteration of the merits of true faith and
  repentance in attaining salvation

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The 95 Theses reaction

• Both Albrecht of Mainz and Johan Tetzel were
  furious with the 95 Theses. Tetzel was told to
  prepare a series of counter-Theses, attacking the
  ideas of Luther. 800 copies were sent to
  Wittenberg, but were burned by the local
  students.
• In April 1518 Luther was summoned to defend his
  ideas at Heidelberg in a meeting of his
  Augustinian superiors he received a favourable
  reception.
• Pope Leo X summoned Luther to Rome to answer for
  his opinions, but Frederick of Saxony insisted
  that Luther be examined in Germany hence
  Cardinal Cajetan travelled to see Luther at
  Augsburg in October 1518.
• By now the 95 Theses had been printed, translated
  into German, and distributed all over Germany,
  and throughout Europe.

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The meeting with Cajetan

• As far as the Pope was concerned, Luther was
  denying papal supremacy and had to be publicly
  rebuked
• Cajetans aim was to persuade Luther to alter his
  opinions or recant, not to debate with Luther.
• Interestingly, Cajetan had himself written a work
  against Indulgences
• But, Luther held firm to his beliefs he
  appealed to the authority of Scripture to back up
  his views.

• Luther was now bordering on heresy moving from
  an argumentative position to an assertive one
• He had begun to question the fundamental
  authority of the papacy and the Church
• He said that Popes and Councils could make
  mistakes, but Scripture was infallible he
  believed that the Churchs interpretation was
  flawed
• The discussion was terminated when Luther,
  despite the promise of safe conduct, made a dash
  for it and fled.

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The political background

• Cajetan asked for Luther to be handed over as a
  heretic, for trial at Rome Frederick Elector of
  Saxony refused and demanded Luther stand trial in
  Germany
• Jan 1519 Emperor Maximilian I died, therefore
  an election was in the offing and Leo X did not
  want to antagonise Frederick (senior Elector of
  the empire) Frederick was a possible candidate
  therefore Luther was left alone, for now.

• No other reformer had ever put such an emphasis
  on scripture in opposition to the authority of
  the Pope, Church councils and tradition.
• There was now a stand-off position between
  Luther and the papacy.

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Resources for further reading

• A. Armstrong, The European Reformation 1500-1610
  (2002) pp. 19-24
• M. Mullett, Martin Luthers Ninety-Five Theses,
  History Review, Sept 2003
• M. Mullett, Luther (1986) pp. 22-31
• K. Randell, Luther and the German Reformation,
  1517-1555 pp. 21-27
• M. Jones, Clash of Empires (2000) pp. 124-27
• Summaries of the 95 Theses are taken from
  Armstrong pp. 21-23