The practice of issuing public decrees to establish the doctrines of the Catholic Church dates back to the 6^th century. By the late 13^th century the decrees came to be called “papal bulls”, so named for the seal, or bulla, affixed to the bottom of the document to signify its authenticity.  A 14^th century papal bull held that the pope could use the treasury of merit and deeds of past saints to forgive temporal punishments for sins.  By the early 16^th century the practice of the clergy selling plenary indulgences to persons of means to reduce their time in purgatory for sins committed by the buyers or their loved ones had become widespread.  Martin Luther, a professor of moral theology at the University of Wittenberg in Germany, believed the practice had become abusive and developed a list of propositions intended for academic debate on the subject, arguing that monetization led to the avoidance of true repentance and also inhibited acts of charity and mercy. The list, which came to be known as The Ninety-five Theses or Disputation on the Power of Indulgences, was sent to the Bishop of Mainz on October 31, 1517 and is also thought to have been posted on the door of the All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg and other churches. The Theses were immediately controversial and “went viral”, being reprinted, translated and distributed throughout Europe within two months. The resulting schism is now considered the tipping point that became the Reformation.

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