Sale
of indulgences
In
1517, Johann Tetzel (1465-1519), a Germanian Dominican friar, was selling
indulgences near Wittenberg, Germania. Why? Albert of Mainz was archbishop of
two dioceses and bishop of a third. To rule more than one diocese at a time, he
needed the permission of the pope. Leo 10th gave him permission in
return for a large donation toward the rebuilding of St. Peter’s Basilica in
Rome. Albert borrowed the money from the banking house of Fugger in Augsburg. Leo
allowed Albert to sell indulgences to repay the loan. Half the money raised
went to Leo and half to the Fuggers.
Wittenberg
University and Luther
Martin
Luther (1483-1546) was an important member of the faculty at the university in
Wittenberg. Frederick 3rd (1463-1525), ruler of Saxony, had only
recently started the university (1502). Martin had only, even more recently, begun
his teaching career there (1512).
Ninety-five Theses
On
October 31, 1517, Martin posted 95 theses on the door of the castle church in
Wittenberg. Some of these expressed his individual insight that indulgences were absurd since all human beings were saved by grace through faith. He also criticized other practices of
the Latin Church that troubled him. There was nothing subversive about this.
The door served as the community bulletin board. Posting assertions there was
the normal way of inviting comments. Martin wrote his theses in Latin and
expected responses in Latin from his learned colleagues.
Printing
press
While
Martin expected feedback from other professionals, his point of view
nonetheless proved remarkably popular. Someone immediately translated his 95
Theses from Latin into German and rushed them into print. Soon readers across
Latin Christendom debated them verbally. They also broadcast them in thousands
of pamphlets made possible by the rapidly developing printing press.
Popularity
of assertions
Martin’s
assertions became wildly popular because many people across Latin Christendom already
disapproved of various errors in Latin Christian teaching and practice. People
in Germania also had a heightened sense that their interests were different
from, and sometimes contrary to, those of the pope in Rome.