Track        Title                                      Length

1                The Ninety-five Theses          34:58




Production
Read by: Leon Mire
From: Librivox Short Nonfiction Collection Vol. 003
Book Coordinator: J. M. Smallheer
Meta Coordinator: J. M. Smallheer

Artwork
Cover: Luther schlägt die 95 Thesen (Luther publishes the 95 Theses’), 1878, by Julius Hubner
Inset: The 95 Theses, titled in Latin as 'Amore et studio elucidande veritatis', 1517, Nuremburg, Pub. by Hieronymus Höltzel. Berlin State Library
Inset: Portrait of Martin Luther, 1528, by Lucas Cranach the Elder


The practice of issuing public decrees to establish the doctrines of the Catholic Church dates back to the 6th century. By the late 13th 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 14th 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 16th 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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Item Info
EAN - DVD case 0682550991429
EAN - CD jacket 0682550992228
Media MP3 CD
Package CD jacket
Author Martin Luther
Year 1517
Recording
Read by Leon Mire
Length 35 minutes
Type of Reading Solo reading

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The Ninety-five Theses

  • Author: Martin Luther
  • Product Code: DB-5006
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