How was the public included in the 95 Theses?

The public was included in Martin Luther’s 95 Theses in at least two important ways. Primarily, the focus of the 95 Theses was a list of theological statements that decentralized the authority of the Catholic church, consequently, placing the Christian faith in the hands of the public. The second way the public was included in the 95 Theses was by way of the public dissemination of Luther’s disputation. We will look at both facets of the public’s inclusion.
Theologically, one of the major issues Luther disputed was the selling of indulgences. An indulgence was a purchased statement from the Catholic church that shaved time off a person’s time in purgatory. While indulgences were a primary focus of Luther, Luther was getting at the core of Catholic theology, in that the Church universal was required to mediate grace to her followers. A priest was required to perform the sacraments, and the sacraments were required for salvation. Luther rejects this notion by asserting that every man is his own priest. A public citizen can come directly to Jesus without any help from organized religion. The public is thus impowered by Luther’s theological stance in the 95 Theses, and they are given power and authority over their own soul.
Technologically, Luther’s 95 Theses included the public as Luther’s disputation was translated from Latin into German and disseminated throughout Europe. Today, printed leaflets, tracts, and flyers are taken for granted because they are common. However, in 1500s Europe, it was both new, and radically effective. Where Luther’s original dispute may have originated as a closed discussion among theologians, the printing press virally propagated his message. That message was put into the hands of the public in a language the literate would be able to read. Therefore, the public was included in the 95 Theses in that an important text about the people quickly found its way into the hands of the people.


In the 95 Theses, Martin Luther addresses the blatant selling of indulgences by the Catholic Church. The money went towards the construction of St. Peter’s basilica. Luther criticizes the Catholic Church for essentially stealing money from people, rather than using their own finances for charitable purposes.
He goes on to elaborate on the uselessness of indulgences, arguing that the Pope has no authority over the souls held in Purgatory. If he did have such authority, then he could have easily pardoned every soul out of love and compassion. Therefore, it seems that the Pope is taking advantage of the poor by offering them a false hope of liberating the souls of their loved ones in exchange for money. Instead, Luther believes that Christians who rely on indulgences are being deceived into a practice of Christianity that is not founded on Biblical principles, but rather on the greediness of the Catholic Church.
https://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/95-theses.html

https://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/martin-luther-95-theses.html

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