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Ninety-Five Theses
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Index of Terms
Indulgences
Indulgences were grants from the Catholic Church offering a Christian some absolution for their sins. This absolution would reduce the Christian’s time in purgatory, a place in the afterlife where a Christian’s soul would have to atone for their sins before ascending to heaven. The penitent still had to perform certain actions that are prescribed in the text of the indulgence, such as seeing a priest for confession, prayer, or charity.
As the head of the church, the pope had not only the power but a responsibility to offer opportunities for atonement. It was expected that Christians would pay money for these indulgences, although they were often offered to the poor free of charge. Indulgences could also be purchased on behalf of a deceased loved one whose soul was thought to be in purgatory.
Indulgences were intended to help either the living or the dead by shortening the time to pay penance. Luther argues that certain priests deliberately misrepresented what indulgences could do. Luther writes, “Thus, indulgence preachers falsely claim that one is freed from all punishment and is saved by the indulgences of the pope” (Line 21).
Source: MacCulloch, Diarmaid. The Reformation: A History. Penguin Books, 2003, pp. 12-13, 120-24.
Penance
According to the Catholic Church, penance is any action through which a Christian can repent of their sins. Penance can take the form of prayers, fasting, or acts of charity. As an intermediary between Christians and God, the pope and any priest can determine what form a Christian’s penance should take.
Plenary Forgiveness
Luther writes that just as one cannot be sure of the sincerity of their contrition, no one can be sure if they have received “plenary forgiveness” (Line 30). This means full forgiveness for all of one’s sins. A key part of Luther’s arguments is denying that the pope has the ability to offer plenary forgiveness. The pope can offer blessings and reduce penalties imposed under canon or church law, but he cannot offer forgiveness for sins further beyond that.
Purgatory
In medieval Christian beliefs about the afterlife, purgatory was a place between heaven and hell. In purgatory, souls wait and have their sins in life purged. The living could speed along the process through their prayers. Likewise, the souls in purgatory could pray to help the living. From this, it came to be believed that indulgences could be purchased to help a deceased loved one in purgatory.
In Luther’s view, purgatory is linked to the “terror of despair” (Line 15), meaning the fear of hell. As the soul stays in purgatory, Luther writes, they lose their fear and gain love, which is equivalent to ascending to heaven. Luther speculates that perhaps not all souls in purgatory want salvation. Later in life, Luther would reject the concept of purgatory.
Source: MacCulloch, Diarmaid. The Reformation: A History. Penguin Books, 2003, pp. 11-16.
Venial Sins
In the language of Catholic theology, venial sins are minor sins that are not very immoral. They contrast with mortal sins, which are considered serious violations of morality.
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