THE OUTCOME OF THE INDULGENCE CONTROVERSY & LUTHER'S PROTEST

THE OUTCOME OF THE INDULGENCE CONTROVERSY & LUTHER'S PROTEST

1. Wasn't intentionally attacking the authority of Pope and purgatory in general

2. Affected powerful people; Archbishop of Mainz, Pope Leo X, Dominican friar

   • Pope Leo left the Augustinian order deal with Luther - Staupitz sympathised & protected him
     • Pope Leo X then ordered Luther to Rome - denied
       • Issue then settled in Germany
         • Prierias (papal theologian) prepared a case against Luther - to deny the authority of the Pope to issue indulgences was heresy
           • Luther rejected this, moving him further away from the orthodox view

3. Church worried about what the attack had on the financial result

   • Laity delighted with Luther's views

4. 95 Theses translated to German (originally Latin) & spread across Germany & Switzerland

5. Pamphlets produced - Dominican order produced a pamphlet supporting indulgences, Luther fired back with 'a Sermon on Indulgences' (bestseller)

6. MEETING AT AUGSBURG, OCT 1518

   • Cardinal Cajetan represented the Pope
   • Aim; to get Luther to admit that he was wrong
   • Luther denied the Popes authority over indulgences
   • Luther said that the Church doctrines need to be tested against the scriptures
   • Luther was seen as an 'honest german'
     • As he was popular, Cajetan couldn't arrest him or take him away from Germany without causing public outcry

7. THE LEIPZIG DEBATE, JULY 1519

   • Luther said that there should be a general council of the Church which would have the supreme authority
   • Luther concluded that it was only 'faith alone that saves' NOT good works aswell
   • Pope left Luther alone in 1519 because he wanted Fredrick to vote for his candidate in the imperial election
   • Public debate at Leipzig Uni (Luther vs. John Eck) - lasted 18days
     • Eck was a Dominican friar who wanted to correct the abuses of the Church but was dedicated to defend the teachings of the Church
       • Best debater in Germany
   • Forced in a corner, Luther condemned himself - faith alone saves, scripture alone is what to believe in, authority of the Pope was based on a lie (no evidence in Bible)
     • Basically agreeing with the views the heretic, Jan Hus had
   • Eck produced the 'bull of excommunication' in June 1520
     • 41 of Luther's views was heretical
     • Forbidden to read his works (some burned in public)
     • 60 days to recant
     • Forbidden to write any new works & preach
     • Serious resistance in the North & central Germany
       • Duke George published the bull in Leipzig - ripped down in the night
       • 10th December, students of Wittenberg burned copies of the canon law, anti-Lutheran books (Luther attended and dramatically burned a copy of the papal bull)
         • January 1521 - Luther's excommunication finalised

8. THE DIET OF WORMS (JAN-APRIL 1521)

   • Charles V elected HRE in 1519
     • Gave Luther a hearing
       • Pope Leo X wanted Charles V to enforce Luther's condemnation - But Charles couldn't upset the princes who voted for him
         • Public was pro-Luther that arresting him would of been difficult
   • Charles offered safe conduct (Jan Hus promised the same, but promise had not been kept - Luther had too much support to be in danger)
     • Allowed to return to Wittenberg safely - 'Kidnapped' & taken to Elector Fredrick's Wartburg Castle where he remained for the next 10months
       • Able to produce pamphlets + translated the New Testament into German
   • Highest in the land was present
   • Pointless?
     • Did not explain/debate his views
     • Asked if the writings was his & if he was prepared to give up his opinions
   • 'I cannot & will not retract anything for to act against our conscience is neither safe nor open to us' - Luther
   • Luther declared an outlaw - anyone who gave him shelter or supported him, was said to be aiding heresy