The Ninety-Five Theses
Document in which Martin Luther criticized the practices of the Roman Catholic Church
The Ninety-Five Theses were a set of propositions or arguments presented by Martin Luther in 1517 in the form of written statements condemning the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences. At that time, the Catholic Church was using indulgences to raise money to fund the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Indulgences were believed to reduce the amount of punishment one would need to endure in purgatory, a place where souls were believed to go to suffer and be cleansed of their sins before being admitted to heaven.
Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses challenged the idea that indulgences could be sold, criticized the Church’s wealth and power, and questioned the authority of the Pope in matters of faith. Luther argued that salvation could not be bought through indulgences or any other means, but instead must come through faith in God and his grace, which he believed is given freely to all who believe in Christ.
The Ninety-Five Theses had a significant impact on the Catholic Church and the religious world in general, leading to the Protestant Reformation, which marked the beginning of major theological and social changes in Western Europe. Luther’s ideas inspired many to break free from the Catholic Church and establish new churches based on the principles of faith, grace, and the authority of scripture. Today, the Ninety-Five Theses are considered a seminal text in the history of Christianity and are recognized as a turning point in the development of Protestant theology.
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