Sale of Indulgences In 1517, a Dominican friar, Johann Tetzel, came to Wittenberg to preach and sell indulgences. Tetzel said that anyone could buy an indulgence to get into heaven. Half the money collected was to go for the building of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The other half was to go to the Archbishop of Mainz to pay back money he had borrowed to buy bishoprics. Tetzel frightened people into buying indulgences:
What is Tetzel’s message to his listeners?
Can’t you hear the voices of your dead parents and other relatives crying out, ‘Have mercy on us for we suffer great punishment and pain. Why do you leave us to suffer in the flames when it takes only a little to save us?’
(Johann Tetzel preaching indulgences)
Buying indulgences in a market place
1. What is your opinion of this scene?
2. What is its message about buying indulgences?
3. Is it a primary or a secondary source?
4. Is it biased?
A German woodcut from Luther’s time
Luther’s 95 Theses Luther objected to Tetzel’s preaching. He wrote 95 Theses (arguments) against the sale of indulgences. He wrote them in Latin, the language of scholars, because he wanted to discuss his views with others. He did not set out to begin a rebellion against the Catholic Church. Luther wrote to the Archbishop of Mainz complaining about the false impressions which the people had about indulgences; ‘the unhappy souls believe that if they have purchased letters of indulgence they are sure of their salvation.’ He included a copy of his 95 Theses with his letter.
