When did Martin Luther post the Ninety-five Theses on the door of All Saints' Church?
Martin Luther posted the Ninety-five Theses on the 31st of October 1517. This act occurred on the eve of All Saints Day in late October or early November 1517.
Questions about Ninety-five Theses
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was the purpose of the Ninety-five Theses written by Martin Luther?
The Ninety-five Theses served as propositions for an academic disputation at the University of Wittenberg. The document challenged common beliefs about the treasury of merit and argued that Jesus Christ willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance rather than external sacramental confession.
Who sold plenary indulgences near Wittenberg in 1517?
Johann Tetzel aggressively sold plenary indulgences near Wittenberg using tactics summarized by the phrase that as soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs. These certificates promised to reduce temporal punishment for sins committed by the living or their deceased loved ones.
How many copies of the Latin version of the Ninety-five Theses were printed in Basel?
Several hundred copies of the Latin version appeared as a four-page pamphlet printed in Basel across Germany. A German translation emerged in Nuremberg later that year and circulated among interested parties throughout the region.
Why did Duke George of Electoral Saxony prohibit the sale of indulgences within his lands?
Duke George of Electoral Saxony prohibited such sales within his lands to protect local economies from losing revenue when money left their territories to buy these spiritual guarantees. Local rulers often lost revenue when money left their territories to buy these spiritual guarantees.