Examples of Luther's Ninety-Five Theses
Luther did not intend his theses to be a complete and final declaration of his beliefs in regard to salvation. He had been deeply disturbed by the talk that he…
From: 1517 C.E. To: 1517 C.E.
Location: University of Wittenberg
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From Readings in European History by James Robinson, 1906.
Examples of Luther’s ninety-five theses.
Luther did not intend his theses to be a complete and final declaration of his beliefs in regard to salvation. He had been deeply disturbed by the talk that he heard about indulgences, the importance of which appeared to him to be grossly overrated. The loud praise of them he thought certain to blind the great body of Christians to more fundamental matters. So with the hope of bringing an ill-understood question to the attention of university men, he hastily drafted in Latin certain propositions involving the chief points; these he posted up, as was the custom, where they might catch the eye of those interested.
He was himself by no means certain of his conclusions, for he said later of the theses: "There is much in them concerning which I am doubtful; much else that I do not understand; other things of which I am not persuaded, and nothing that I stubbornly adhere to; for I submit everything to Holy Church and her judgment."
In a letter to Leo X, written six months after the posting of the theses, he expresses his surprise and regret that they should have been so widely circulated, for they were "somewhat obscurely expressed, as was the custom in such cases," so that the defender could not be easily driven into a corner. Had he foreseen their general diffusion, he would have tried to be clearer. Yet there is no doubt that they really expressed his general convictions, which he did not realize at that time were in any way opposed to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
In the desire and with the purpose of elucidating the truth, a disputation will be held on the underwritten propositions at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, monk of the order of St. Augustine, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer in the same at that place. He therefore asks those who cannot be present and discuss the subject with us orally to do so by letter in their absence. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ in saying "Repent ye” [poenitentiam agite] etc., intended that the whole life of believers should be penitence [poenitentia].
This word cannot be understood as sacramental penance, that is, the confession and satisfaction which are performed under the ministry of priests.
It does not, on the other hand, refer solely to inward penitence; nay, such inward penitence is naught, unless it outwardly produces various mortifications of the flesh.
The penalty [for sin] must thus continue as long as the hatred of self—that is, true inward penitence; namely, till our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
The pope has neither the will nor the power to remit any penalties except those which he has imposed by his own authority, or by that of the canons.
The pope has no power to remit any guilt, except by declaring and warranting it to have been remitted by God; or at most by remitting cases reserved for himself; in which cases, if his power were despised, guilt would certainly remain.
Certainly God remits no man's guilt without at the same time subjecting him, humbled in all things, to the authority of his representative, the priest.
Therefore the pope, when he speaks of the plenary remission of all penalties, does not mean really of all, but only of those imposed by himself.
Thus those preachers of indulgences are in error who say that by the indulgences of the pope a man is freed and saved from all punishment.
If any entire remission of all penalties can be granted to any one, it is certain that it is granted to none but the most perfect,—that is, to very few.
They preach man [rather than God] who say that the soul flies out of purgatory as soon as the money rattles in the chest.
It is certain that, when the money rattles in the chest, avarice and gain may be increased, but the effect of the intercession of the Church depends on the will of God alone.
It is a very difficult thing, even for the most learned theologians, to exalt at the same time, in the eyes of the people, the ample effect of pardons and the necessity of true contrition.
True contrition seeks and loves punishment, while the ampleness of pardons relaxes it and causes men to hate it, or at least gives occasion for them to do so.
Christians should be taught that he who gives to a poor man, or lends to a needy man, does better than if he bought pardons.
Because by works of charity, charity increases and the man becomes better, while by means of pardons he does not become better, but only freer from punishment,
Christians should be taught that, if the pope were acquainted with the exactions of the preachers of pardons, he would prefer that the basilica of St. Peter should be burnt to ashes rather than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh, and bones of his sheep.
Christians should be taught that as it would be the duty, so it would be the wish of the pope even to sell, if necessary, the basilica of St. Peter, as well as to give of his own money to very many of those from whom the preachers of pardons extract money.
The treasures of the Church, whence the pope grants, indulgences, are neither sufficiently discussed nor understood among the people of Christ.
It is clear that they are at least not temporal treasures, for these are not so readily lavished, but only accumulated, by many of the preachers.
The true treasure of the Church is the holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.
This treasure, however, is naturally most hateful, because it makes the first to be last;
While the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, because it makes the last to be first.
This license in the preaching of pardons makes it no easy thing, even for learned men, to protect the reverence due to the pope against the calumnies, or, at all events, the keen questionings of the laity.
As, for instance: Why does not the pope empty purgatory for the sake of his most holy charity and of the supreme necessity of souls,—this being the most just of all reasons,—if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of that most fatal thing, money, to be spent on building a basilica,—this being a very slight reason?
Again: Why does not the pope, whose riches are at this day more ample than those of Croesus, build the basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with that of poor believers?
Again: What greater good could the Church receive than if the pope were to bestow these remissions and participations a hundred times a day, instead of once, as he does now, on any one of the faithful?
To repress these scruples and arguments of the laity by force alone, and not to solve them by giving reasons, is to expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christian men unhappy.
If then pardons were preached according to the spirit and wish of the pope, all these questions would be solved with ease; nay, would not exist.
Robinson, James Harvey. Readings in European History: A Collection of Extracts from the Sources, Vol 2. Ginn and Co., 1906.
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