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WEEK 5 - The Theses & The Tower Why The World Changed

We start today right where we left off last Sunday. Martin Luther at the door of the Castle Church. We ALL know what happened there don’t we? Well today we’ll do a little ‘myth busting’ and learning. Our topic today is “The Theses” and “The Tower”. The Theses may be self explanatory, but the Tower may be a new concept for you. The Tower refers to what scholars call Luther’s Breakthrough or his encounter with the Gospel that changes his life…and ours. I’ve been waiting “All Glory Be to God Alone” for this, it’s going to be a fun hour! 1. All glory be to God alone, Forevermore the Highest One, Who doth our sinful race befriend And grace and peace to us extend. Thesis and Theses Among mankind may His good will All hearts with deep thanksgiving fll

the·sis noun (Hymn builds to the last two verses) plural noun: theses 5. Thou only art the Holy One; 1. A statement or theory that is put forward as a premise Thou art o'er all things Lord alone. to be maintained or proved O Jesus Christ, we glorify Thee only as the Lord Most High; Thou art, the Holy Ghost with Thee, One in the Father's majesty. The posting of theses was a common occurrence in all universities at this time. From the University of Wittenberg Statutes (1502): “the rights of the doctor [Teacher] 6 Amen, this ever true shall be, include the right to hold disputations on any subject and to preside over the As angels sing adoringly. granting of degrees, for which a candidate had to defend theses written by his By all creation, far and wide, teacher”. The theses were to be posted, “on the doors of the churches in town.” Thou, Lord, art ever glorifed; And Thee all Christendom doth praise Now and through everlasting days. Just weeks before the “95 Theses” on October 31, 1517 - Luther had a “97 Theses Behold, His glory flleth all the earth!" on Scholastic Theology “ posted on September 4th that his student Franz Günther The beams and lintels trembled at the defended. The “97 Theses” is actually more controversial to the Roman Catholic Curia yet there is no recorded response. However within weeks of the posting of the “95 Theses” on Indulgence all of Saxony and every major city in Germany was Words & Music by Martin Luther 1 in an uproar… How and why did this happen? Let’s look at the background… (1537) The Jubilee Indulgence

: The Players The Indulgence controversy that inspired Luther’s “95 Theses” was an elaborate secret in·dul·gence scheme between and . Leo sold the vacant Archbishop 2. historical of Mainz position (His third position) to (in the Roman Catholic Church) Albert for 10,000 gold ducats that he a grant by the Pope of remission of the temporal punishment in borrowed from the bank to pay. Leo and purgatory still due for sins after Albrecht of Mainz Pope Leo X Albert agreed to sell a new “Plenary” Jubilee absolution. The unrestricted sale Indulgence in Albert’s territories. The of indulgences by pardoners was proceeds would be split 50/50 half to Albert a widespread abuse during the to repay the loan and half to Leo to build St. later Middle Ages. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. This was unknown to anyone at the time… St. Peter’s Basilica PA G E 2 2 ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

Actual Jubilee Indulgence from 1517 “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, a soul out of purgatory springs”

Treasury of Merit Roman Catholic Catechism Name Date 1476 “This treasury includes as well the prayers and good works of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They Johann Tetzel - (1465 - 1519) are truly immense, “with this document and the giving of the monies for it, Location unfathomable, and even pristine gives full and complete remission of sins.” in their value before God. In the treasury, too, are the prayers At this time the selling of indulgences was and good works of all the saints, common place in the church. The real abuse all those who have followed in here is the fact that, 1. No contrition was the footsteps of Christ the either expected or asked for. 2. The transfer Lord and by his grace have made their lives holy and carried out of title to others. 3. The assumption of sins the mission in the unity of the forgiven other than penance satisfed. Mystical Body.” 2003 Tetzel 1953 Tetzel

1471 “An indulgence is a remission before God of the Luther’s 95 Theses temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been We ALL know what really happened don’t we? It could be time for some “myth busting”. forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed Questions? conditions through the action of the Church which, as the 1. Did it Really Happen? minister of redemption, 2. Was it Actually Nailed? dispenses and applies with 3. What Was Luther’s Intent? authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the 4. What Were Luther’s Expectations? saints.”2 5. Why October 31, 1517? 5. What Does it Actually Say?

The Pope Owns The Treasury Luther not only posted the 95 Theses in Content of The Theses Wittenberg, he sent a copy of them and a letter to Archbishop Albrecht on 10/31/1517 “The distribution of the merits contained in the treasury of the Usually the first reaction after the reading the 95 Theses is something like, “Is that Church is an exercise of it?” There is really no critique of the Roman Catholic Church. There is no critique authority (potestas of the practice of Indulgences only questions about their abuse. There is no critique iurisdictionis), not of the power of, or the questioning of, the reality of Purgatory. There is really nothing in the conferred by Holy orders (potestas ordinis). Hence the Theses that gives a hint of what is to come. In short, there is no “smoking gun” pope, as supreme head of the Church on earth, can grant all It is the unlikely “reaction” to the Theses that sets snowball rolling down the hill. kinds of indulgences to any and all of the faithful; and he alone 3 Immediate Aftermath can grant plenary indulgences.” Not knowing the “arrangement” with the Pope, not only does Luther post the Theses on the Castle Church door, he the same day 10/31/1517. The same day he sends a copy and a personal letter to Albrecht humbly asking him to to look into the matter. Within 2 weeks additional printers are printing versions of the Theses in both Latin and German… It has become the 16th Century version of the “Walking Dead” The world literally changes - the age of mass communication has broken the separation of class, education, a fire has started that feeds off itself and is still ablaze. MARTIN LUTHER PAGE 23

The Age of Celebrity & The Best Seller Begins

Within weeks after posting the Theses, all of Germany is a buzz with the “monk in Wittenberg. Luther quickly pens an explanation of the 95 Theses and dedicates it with a letter to Pope Leo. Luther’s purpose was clearly pastoral. When the noise does not die down Luther writes a short and simple book in German called “A Sermon on Indulgences and Grace”. From April through December of 1518 It goes through 13 printings (13,000 copies) in less than 30 days of its release, and becomes the most popular book ever printed. Luther went from being an unknown monk in an out of the way town to becoming the most popular person in Europe in the span of only a few months. He did not predict it, plan it, expect it, nor at the time even want it … That is the real story of Martin Luther and the Dawn of the Reformation. Luther himself will later say that, “The word did it

Luther’s “Breakthrough” / “Breakout” Turmerlebnis The “Tower Experience”

The Reformation “Breakthrough” of Martin Luther his “Salvation experience” is one of the most discussed and debated aspects of Luther’s life. Luther discusses it several times in Table Talk and at length in his preface to the first published “Works of Luther” in 1545. Luther’s “Breakthrough” can actually be described as his “A Sermon on understanding and embracing of the Gospel of Christ alone (Justification by Indulgences and Grace” Faith)and his “Breakout” from the Roman Catholic belief and practice of “Penance”. In reality a “new faith”, and a “new practice”. It would very soon demand both a new It was 8 pages, 1500 words, 20 “Religion” and a new “Church”. short 2+ sentence paragraphs and written in the language of How and when did this take place? The simple answer is… No one knows! It is very the common people. It strange that of the 2 principal “magisterial” Reformers, Luther and Calvin, there is became the frst “Best Seller” very little known of the exact details of when they came to trust Christ alone for their and cultural media sensation. Salvation. As far as Luther goes we know how - here is his testimony being in his Even people who could not “Tower” at the Augustinian Monastery studying Romans 1:17 read bought the book. For the “I began to understand that in this verse the justice of God is that by which the just person frst time for sale on the lives by a gift of God, that is by faith. I began to understand that this verse means that the streets and shops was a book justice of God is revealed through the Gospel, but it is a passive justice, i.e. that by which the that anyone could afford, and merciful God justifes us by faith, as it is written: "The just person lives by faith." All at once I the story itself was told in the felt that I had been born again and entered into paradise itself through open gates. Immediately art woodcut of the title page. I saw the whole of Scripture in a different light.” (Preface to His “Printed Works “ (1545) In just a few short months an obscure Augustinian monk in an obscure little German city Luther says he is in his heated room at the became the frst modern day “Tower” which no longer exists today. Luther’s study was right off of the first floor of the celebrity. Monastery separated from the rest of the house. It is NOT the tower in the front of the building Luther’s Study & “Tower” that many believe it is. There was no “room” there at the time.

The problem is the “timing” of the exact event. It is my belief that this was not a single earth shattering one time event, but a gradual coming to understand what this new found “faith” would lead him to. Between 1517 when he pens the Theses and 1520 when he pens his 3 Ecclesiastical and Theological masterpieces, The Freedom of a Christian, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church , and To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, Luther comes full circle and is not only denies Purgatory & Penance but declares by the burning of his Papal Bull that the Pope is “Antichrist” PA G E 2 4 ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

All Glory Be To God Alone (All Ehr und Lob soll Gottes Sein) “What I did toppled heaven and consumed earth by fre. I 1537 am denounced to the pope, commanded to go to Rome, and the entire papacy rises All glory be to God alone, Thou dost the world's sin take away; up against me alone.” Forevermore the Highest One, Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray. Who doth our sinful race befriend Thou dost the world's sin take away; Luther on The 95 Theses And grace and peace to us extend. Give ear unto the prayer we say. (Preface to his “Works” 1545) Among mankind may His good will Thou sitt'st at God's right hand for aye; All hearts with deep thanksgiving fll Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.

We praise Thee, God, and Thee we bless; Thou only art the Holy One; We worship Thee in humbleness; Thou art o'er all things Lord alone. From day to day we glorify, O Jesus Christ, we glorify The Everlasting God on high. Thee only as the Lord Most High; Of Thy great glory do we sing, Thou art, the Holy Ghost with Thee, And e'er to Thee our thanks we bring. One in the Father's majesty.

Lord God, our King on heaven's throne, Amen, this ever true shall be, Our Father, the Almighty One. As angels sing accordingly. O Lord, the Sole-begotten One, By all creation, far and wide, Lord Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, Thou, Lord, art ever glorifed; True God from all eternity, And Thee all Christendom doth praise O Lamb of God, to Thee we fee. Now and through everlasting days. O Lamb of God, to Thee we fee.

Q&A ...My Take a Ways... Can you see how it was God not Luther that used the 95 Theses? Can you relate to Luther’s “Tower Experience”? NEXT WEEK (Sunday January 29th) Did you “Think hard, and be honest”?

1520 The most pivotal year in the life of Luther and the Reformation. We’ll follow Bibliography & Notes Martin from Jan writing through the Dec. burning of 1. Luther, Martin. The Hymns of Martin Luther.: Concordia Pub House, 2016. 14. Print. the his Papal Bull… 2. The Catechism of the Catholic Church - The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c2a4.htm. 3. The Catholic Encyclopedia - Indulgences, http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php? id=6095