Wednesday, July 5, 2017

On the 95 theses from Matin Luther, which theses changed the Catholic church?

In 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther challenged the Catholic Church by composing the 95 Theses. In his 95 theses, Luther took issue with the direction of the Catholic Church, particularly with the sale of indulgences in order to forgive sins. One could simply have their sins forgiven through the purchase of indulgences from the Catholic Church. The process of purchasing indulgences had become extremely corrupt, a point which Luther intended to attack. Luther also argued that the Bible was the central religious authority, not the Pope or any other man. In his theses, Luther also brought into question the wealth of those in the leadership of the Catholic Church, as well as their motivations for serving the Church.
Some of the most influential theses included in Martin Luther's criticism included the following:

32. Those who believe that they can be certain of their salvation because they have indulgence letters will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.
36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better deed than he who buys indulgences.
75. To consider papal indulgences so great that they could absolve a man even if he had done the impossible and had violated the mother of God is madness.
86. Again, "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is today greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build this one basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers?''

Martin Luther's teaching had a tremendous effect on the Catholic Church. Many Europeans began to question the actions and leadership of the Church and instead chose to follow Protestant teachings. For the first time in Christianity's history, Christians in Western Europe would not be united as Catholics. With the start of the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church was also forced to make reforms in order to stave off their dropping membership. The Catholic Church's reforms would be known as the "Catholic Counter-Reformation" and would address many of the problems originally brought up by Martin Luther. The Catholic Church would introduce new policies regarding the priesthood. The Catholic Church would make attempts to stop appointment to Church positions based on relationships and favors, and they would attempt to reduce the luxuries and wealth of church leaders. Martin Luther's 95 Theses is thus considered one of the most influential writings in history for the impact it had on the future of Western Civilization and Christianity.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Counter-Reformation

https://www.history.com/topics/reformation/martin-luther-and-the-95-theses

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