Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany on November 10, 1483, and died on February 18, 1546. He was a German professor of theology, a composer, and an influential figure in the Protestant Reformation. He was also a German monk who wanted to change things about the Catholic Church, and this is the main reason why he wrote the theses. He wrote the Ninety-Five Theses, also known as the Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, to debate a list of questions and propositions. He did not know at the time that his writings would start a revolutionary break. In his writing, he expressed his opinions of how things should be. His writings also started a big split in the Catholic Church, and hence Protestantism was soon emerged. With his Ninety-Five Theses, it brought many new religions, and beliefs within the people. When Luther was old enough to get a job, his father wanted him to become a lawyer. His father was a commoner, and operated compromise. He was very strict, he wanted nothing else for Martin except to become a lawyer, and Martin was planning on becoming one. One day though, his plans were changed. Martin was stuck in a thunderstorm, and had nowhere to take cover. He was not sure he was going to survive, so he prayed. He promised God that if he survived he would devote his life to Christ. After the thunderstorm was over, Martin upheld his promise and became a monk. His father was not happy with his decision, but there was not much he could do about it. Martin’s life started to revolve around the Church, and even teaching classes at night. Martin Luther did not think the Church had the spiritual authority to forgive sins. He often went to the Church to ask for forgiveness of his sins, but he always doubted their power to forgive. Luther believed that going to confess your sins just gave you satisfaction. He strongly believed that God was the only one who could truly forgive you of your sins. The Pope was very mad that Martin had said this. You were not supposed to critic the Church on their doctrine. The Pope might have killed Martin if it wasn’t for Frederick the Third. Frederick liked Luther because he was standing up to the Pope, so he was their to protect him. People started to believe and follow Martin, and this is when new religions such as Lutheranism started. Luther is very critical of the sale of indulgences.
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People such as John Tetzel would go around Germany and try to get people to buy indulgences. They would convince they people that they needed God’s forgiveness to go to heaven, and the only way to get that was to pay for an indulgence. They would also say that the family of a deceased person could buy an indulgence so that their family member would be able to go to heaven. Martin was very against this, and that is one of the main reasons that he wrote the Ninety-Five Theses. He said in theses thirty seven, “Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters.” He believed God was the only person that could grant forgiveness. He crossed the line and committed a heresie by saying that the Pope and the Church did not have the spiritual authority to grant indulgences. In his writings he also said, “Those priests act ignorantly and wickedly who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penalties for purgatory.” He believed that the dead are freed from all penalties, and they should have the right to be released from them without having to have a family member pay for an indulgence. Martin Luther challenges the Pope by telling him that he does not have the spiritual power to do most of the stuff that he was doing. He questioned the leadership of the Pope and the Catholic Church. He did not agree with selling indulgences, and he wrote the Ninety-Five Theses, to show people that what the Church was doing was wrong. He also challenges the Pope in other ways. He tells the Pope that he is not infallible on the matter of the church
People such as John Tetzel would go around Germany and try to get people to buy indulgences. They would convince they people that they needed God’s forgiveness to go to heaven, and the only way to get that was to pay for an indulgence. They would also say that the family of a deceased person could buy an indulgence so that their family member would be able to go to heaven. Martin was very against this, and that is one of the main reasons that he wrote the Ninety-Five Theses. He said in theses thirty seven, “Any true Christian, whether living or dead, participates in all the blessings of Christ and the church; and this is granted him by God, even without indulgence letters.” He believed God was the only person that could grant forgiveness. He crossed the line and committed a heresie by saying that the Pope and the Church did not have the spiritual authority to grant indulgences. In his writings he also said, “Those priests act ignorantly and wickedly who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penalties for purgatory.” He believed that the dead are freed from all penalties, and they should have the right to be released from them without having to have a family member pay for an indulgence. Martin Luther challenges the Pope by telling him that he does not have the spiritual power to do most of the stuff that he was doing. He questioned the leadership of the Pope and the Catholic Church. He did not agree with selling indulgences, and he wrote the Ninety-Five Theses, to show people that what the Church was doing was wrong. He also challenges the Pope in other ways. He tells the Pope that he is not infallible on the matter of the church