Study the excerpts from the 95 Theses and answer the following questions: (i) To what does a truly repentant Christian have a right? (ii) What is the true treasure of the Church? (iii) From the theses shown above, is Luther totally against the sale of indulgences? Explain your answer - Junior Cycle History - Question B - 2007

The true treasure of the Church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God, which is essentially encapsulated in the teachings of the Bible.

No, he is not entirely against the sale of indulgences. According to Thesis 47, the buying of indulgences should be considered a 'matter of free choice.' Luther indicates that while indulgences may be beneficial, they can be harmful if faith is placed in them rather than God. Thesis 49 emphasizes the importance of not relying solely on these indulgences, suggesting that they can lead to injury to the Word of God.

The Pope may have felt alarmed for a couple of reasons:

1. Luther challenged the existing Church practices by affirming that indulgences are not necessarily aligned with true Christian faith, thus questioning the authority of the Church.
2. The theses encouraged a reconsideration of the relationship between faith and indulgences, potentially leading others to follow Luther’s example and oppose Papal authority.