Martin Luther Posts 95 Theses

On this day in 1517, Martin Luther posted his “95 Theses” on the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg.  In them, Luther set forth two central beliefs – that the Bible is the central religious authority and that humans may reach salvation only by their faith and not by their deeds.  He also condemned the excesses and corruption of the Roman Catholic Church, especially the papal practice of asking payment – called “indulgences” – for the forgiveness of sins.  These revolutionary ideas  formed the basis for the Protestant Reformation.

To learn more about Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, try the following resources:

• Martin Luther (PBS)
• Martin Luther & the 95 Theses (History Channel)
• The Protestant Reformation (The History Guide)
• The Trial of Martin Luther (Famous Trials)

​All of my posts on European history can be found here.