The Existence of Abuses in the Roman Catholic Church

The selling of indulgence troubled Luther, he thought people were ignorant to believe that they didn’t have to repent after they bought an indulgence. Martin Luther was a friar very devoted to the Church but after analyzing all these aspects he decided to do something about it. On October 31, 1517 he attached to the door of Wittenberg Castle a list of 95 theses or propositions on indulgences. These theses criticized papal policies and were objections about he church put on hold for discussion.

Luther knew that the Catholic Church was distorted; he believed that the sale of indulgences, in particular, was the major source of corruption. In response, Luther nailed on the door of the Wittenberg Church a placard with 95 theses, or statements, criticizing the sale of indulgences and attacking other church policies. He also published hundred of essays advocating his idea that a person could be made just, or good, simply by faith in God’s mercy and love. Luther’s idea became known as justification by faith. Consequently, Luther was excommunicated from the Church for refusing to withdraw his teachings and criticisms of the Church.

The selling of indulgences, to Martin Luther, exposed the churches’ corruption. Martin Luther began to debate the choices the church was making and began to question the limits of papal authority. Martin Luther was banished from the Roman Catholic Church. Martin Luther then wrote Against Catholicism in 1535. Martin Luther begins this text by explaining his disagreement between the pope and himself.

Luther believed it took money from the poor who needed it needlessly. The Church also had a high price on viewing relics again for the same power the money was to build the Catholic Church but it was taught to be to get closer to God. Luther was devoted to finding

In response, Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther in 1521. The Catholic Church conflicted with the Protestant religion, because the Protestants sought an individual relationship with God. Through the contrasting ideas of the Church and Protestants, a major conflict between the two emerged. The church minister had spoken the Bible in Latin, where the congregation could not understand what the priest was saying. Furthermore, the Catholic Church started to sell indulgences during the Middle Ages.

He was concerned to the point of obsession about sin and his search for salvation, and with help from his studies and desire for the truth; he became one of the biggest critics of the Catholic Church. Luther had many issues with the church, but his loathing for venality, the selling of things the church deems as taboo or illegal, and especially that of indulgences was what broke the camel’s back. These indulgences, which the church issued so, someone might be forgiven of their sins, was a considerable source of profits by as early as the 1400’s. Luther was vehemently against the trading of relics associated with Saint. He felt it encouraged superstition and pagan thoughts of magic, bringing them further from the true faith of the Christian beliefs.

Martin Luther claims, “The bible is the sole authority for Christians. All of this infuriated the Catholic Church and made them excommunicate Luther from the Church. They claimed, “He committed heresy against the Church which could be punished by death.” Although Luther was under the impression he was in the right that does not mean this did not cause a lot of conflicts not only between himself and the Roman Catholic Church, but also for the Western European Culture in general.

As the Holy See was not as powerful anymore, it was suffering from attacks on the papacy. Many felt that the Pope and his Bishops had developed into an abusive feudal monarchy. They were not happy that the Church was concentrating on making profits and not on the spiritual well being of people. Early reformation movements such as the Lollards and the Hussites that were founded by John Wycliffe and John Huss respectively were suppressed for their attacks on the papacy. People also resented the Church, because of practices such the indulgences – when individuals paid to church for forgiveness of their sins.

On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther hung his 95 Theses on the door of the Catholic Church in Wittenburg Germany. His theses stated what he felt was wrong with the Catholic Church like simony, nepotism, and the sale of indulgences and also formed the idea that the way to heaven is through faith. Martin Luther’s movement to expose the church’s wrongdoings and goal to create a more honest church that worships God fueled a movement. His theses spread throughout much of Germany and Europe due to the aid of the printing press and his ideas began to catch in many countries throughout Europe. The Roman Catholic Church began to realize they were in trouble, because Martin Luther’s mission to expose the church 's .

After evaluating the main reasons why Luther had success challenging the church, it is to all appearances that the circumstances were in his favour and available to him during that time. To confirm this hypothesis, the three circumstances will be examined in order for it to be correct. The reasons behind Martin Luther decision to nail the Ninety-five theses on the door of the church because the churches were lying to the good people who wanted to follow Gods word. For the Roman Church, the word of God was altered and made up of lies that only benefited the authority of the church. The Church sold indulgences which involved people believing that it was a payment of their sin.