22 pages • 44 minutes read
Ninety-Five Theses
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Themes
Emotion
In Luther’s theology, emotion plays an important role. In some ways, Luther equates sin and the process of penance with guilt or contrition. Luther says that, just like no one can be “sure of the integrity of one’s own contrition,” one cannot know if they have received full forgiveness for their sins (Line 30). For Luther, the “penalty for sin” lasts as long as “hatred of self,” which is lifelong and which he views as “true internal repentance” (Line 4). In other words, guilt is part of the penance of sin, although true penance requires a change in one’s behavior.
Other emotions enter Luther’s understanding of redemption and the afterlife. Luther states that “hell, purgatory, and heaven are akin to the differences between despair, fear, and the assurance of salvation” (Line 16). Luther means hell is the total despair of ever having salvation. Fear, which comes from a soul’s doubt over salvation, is equivalent to purgatory. Love plays a more positive role. As the love grows within a soul in purgatory, its fear will decrease and it will be more ready to ascend to heaven. It is only through love and transcending both despair and fear that a Christian’s soul is truly freed from guilt over sin and enters heaven.
Papal Authority
In a way, Luther’s theses are as much about the pope and his authority as they are about indulgences. Luther’s approach to discussing the papacy has two sides. On one hand, Luther is careful to defend the pope from the abuses of indulgences. In no way does Luther call the pope’s motives into question. The pope does not desire the money of Christians but their prayers. Explicitly, Luther implies that the pope “does not intend” to reduce any penance that is outside his power to lessen (Line 5). Luther says that priests who abuse indulgences are the “enemies of Christ and the pope” (Line 53). According to Luther, the pope is unaware of how much indulgences have been abused. If the pope was aware, Luther writes, “then he would prefer that St. Peter’s Basilica were burned to ashes than constructed with the flesh and bones of his sheep” (Line 50).
Luther strictly defines the limits of the pope’s powers. The pope’s powers include authority over how the Bible is interpreted; holding certain “spiritual powers” and “healing gifts” (Line 78); the ability to “clarify and announce” the amount of penance needed by a Christian (Line 6); and the power to impose penalties upon Christians according to canon or church law.
Luther is thorough in clarifying what the pope cannot do, including reducing “all penalties” coming out of sin (Line 20); diminishing the time a soul spends in purgatory; and “reduce[ing] any guilt” (Line 6), which for Luther means the pope cannot diminish the amount of time a Christian must pay penance for their sins.
Since the priests who abuse indulgences claim to be acting under papal authority, Luther has two objectives. One, he must demonstrate that the pope does not have the powers that the abusers of indulgences say he has. At the same time, Luther has to prove that the pope is unsympathetic to what the abusers of indulgences are doing. Given that Luther would later be attacked by the church and the pope himself for his criticisms of how indulgences are sold, it is not surprising that Luther would later turn against the pope.
Sin and Redemption
The issue of indulgences is one of sin and redemption. Luther shares the traditional Christian view that every human being is guilty of sin; even Christians need God’s help atone. Luther writes: “God reduces no one’s guilt without, at the same time, humbling them in all things and making them submit to the priest as the vicar of God” (Line 7). In sum, sin is a lifelong struggle. A Christian needs the help of God and guidance from the church to know how to perform penance. It is a personal process. Indulgences only show an individual how to perform penance. Only by “works of love” can a person truly become better and achieve redemption (Line 44).
Most importantly, redemption cannot be ensured through outside forces. The pope can reduce the penance the church demands from an individual. However, the pope cannot reduce the spiritual penalties suffered by living people or souls that are in purgatory. In fact, no one can even be sure if they have been truly forgiven of their sins. Luther sees the church as providing guidance to help Christians achieve redemption from their sins. Ultimately, the process of redemption is a struggle of changing external behavior and the interior self.
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