A disputation of Master Martin
Luther, Theologian, for the elucidation of the virtue of
Indulgences.
From a zealous desire to bring to light the truth, the
following theses will be maintained at Wittenberg, under the
presidency of the Rvd. Fr. Martin Luther, Master of Arts, Master
of Sacred Theology and official Reader therein. He therefore asks
that all who are unable to be present to dispute with him verbally
will do so in writing. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in saying "Repent ye,
etc.," meant the whole life of the faithful to be an act of
repentance.
2. This saying cannot be understood of the sacrament of penance
(i.e. of confession and absolution) which is administered by the
priesthood.
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5. The pope has neither the wish nor the power to remit any
penalties save those which he has imposed at his own will or
according to the will of the canons.
6. The pope has no power to remit guilt, save by declaring and
confirming that it has been remitted by God; or, to be sure, by
remitting the cases reserved to himself. If he neglected to
observe these limitations the guilt would remain.
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16. . . . the difference between Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven
seems to be the same as the difference between despair, almost
despair, and confidence.
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27. Those who assert that a soul straightway flies out (of
purgatory) as a coin tinkles in the collection-box, are preaching
an invention of man (hominem praedicant).
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40. True contrition asks for penance and accepts it with love;
but the bounty of indulgences relaxes the penalty and induces
hatred of it . . . .
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45. Christians are to be taught that a man who sees a brother
in need and passes him by to give his money for the purchase of
pardon wins for himself not the indulgences of the pope but the
indignation of God.
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50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the
exactions of the preachers of indulgences he would rather have S.
Peter's basilica reduced to ashes than built with the skin, flesh
and bones of his sheep.
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52. Confidence in salvation through letters of indulgence is
vain . . . .
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62. The true measure of the Church is the sacrosanct Gospel of
the glory and grace of God.
63. But this is . . . hated, since it makes the first last.
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66. The treasures of indulgences are nets . . . which . . .
fish for the riches of men.
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68. They [indulgences] are . . . of little account as compared
with the grace of God and the piety of the cross.
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72. Blessed be he that strives against the wanton and
disorderly preaching of the sellers of pardons.
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76. . . . Papal pardons cannot take away the least of venial
sins, as regard guilt.
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81. This wanton preaching of pardons makes it hard even for
learned men to defend the honour of the pope against calumny, or
at least against the shrewd questions of the laity.
They ask: Why does not the pope empty purgatory on account of
most holy charity and the great need of souls, the most righteous
of causes, seeing that he redeems an infinite number of souls on
account of sordid money, given for the erection of a basilica,
which is a most trivial cause?
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90. To suppress these careful arguments of the laity merely by
papal authority, instead of clearing them up by a reasoned reply,
is to expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of the enemy
and to render Christians unhappy.
91. Now if pardons were preached according to the spirit and
mind of the pope all these questions would easily be disposed of;
nay, they would not arise.
92. And so let all those prophets depart who say to Christ's
people 'Peace, peace,' and there is no peace.
93. And farewell to all those prophets who say to Christ's
people 'the cross, the cross' and there is no cross.
94. Christians are to be exhorted to endeavor to follow Christ,
their head, through pains, deaths, and hells.
95. And so let them trust to enter heaven rather through many
tribulations than through the false confidence of peace.
