31 October 1517

October 31, 1517 – Wittenberg

Luther was very conscious of his position and responsibilities as a Doctor of Theology, a university professor and, hence, a theological guardian of the church. So, especially in the light of his newly developing theology, he felt under compulsion to protest. Sensing he was treading on dangerous ground, and after some anxious hesitation, he wrote another set of theses – 95 this time – which he called a Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences. On 31 October 1517, he sent these along with a rather timid and respectful letter to Albrecht of Brandenburg himself. On the same day, he wrote along similar lines to his own local bishop, Jerome Schulze in Brandenburg, alerting him to Tetzel’s appearance in his diocese. In a later version of the story, told by his subsequent friend and close colleague, Philipp Melanchthon, Luther also raised the issue for academic debate within the university and beyond, by pinning the theses to the door of the castle or university church in Wittenberg, which served as an academic noticeboard.

Tomlin, Graham. Luther and His World. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2002. The quote is from page 71.