Martin Luther
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MARTIN LUTHER: THE RELUCTANT REVOLUTIONARY<br />
PROF. M. M. NINAN<br />
First page of the 1517 Basel printing of the Theses as a pamphlet<br />
<strong>Martin</strong> <strong>Luther</strong> makes three main points in his 95 theses.<br />
Here they are, in his own words:<br />
1. Selling indulgences to finance the building of St. Peter's is wrong.<br />
"The revenues of all Christendom are being sucked into this insatiable basilica. The Germans laugh<br />
at calling this the common treasure of Christendom. Before long, all the churches, palaces, walls<br />
and bridges of Rome will be built out of our money. First of all, we should rear living temples, not<br />
local churches, and only last of all St. Peter's, which is not necessary for us. We Germans cannot<br />
attend St. Peter's. Better that it should never be built than that our parochial churches should be<br />
despoiled. ...<br />
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