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If one has heard of the 95 theses, they have also likely heard the story of the nailing of the 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church. As it was said by countless: October 31, 1517: Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg with hammer strokes that echoed throughout all of Europe. This act from Luther has been protrayed numerous times in drawings and paintings, and was accepted as a fact until the 21st century. It wasn't until 1961, when Erwin Iserloh, a man doing research on Luther, started disputing these claims that there was any doubt. His doubt is convincing, as the man who was supposedly an eye witness to the event, Philipp Melanchthon, didn't even attend the Wittenberg university until 1518, a great deal after the 95 Theses had been presented to the Catholic Church. This account was recorded after Luther's death, and Melanchthon never mentioned anything of Luther nailing this to the church door in 1517. Historically, it is recorded that announcements were hung up on the church door, but it is not likely that Luther would have done this without asking a Bishop for permission. If he had done this, it would have probably been seen as provoking his superiors. Luther, however, was not looking to provoke, and only wanted to clear up misconceptions. Since no one has built a time machine as of yet, there is no way to get a definitive answer. So, the concrete must be focused upon. Luther wrote a letter to his superiors on the 31st of October in 1517, where he denounced the sale of indulgences. He included the 95 theses as a basis for his complaint. Please read the Reaction to the Theses. | |
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