Kort verhandeling

Die derde dokument was ‘n kort verhandeling, getiteld Tractatus de indulgentiis per Doctorem Martinum ordinis s. Augustini Wittenbergae editus, oftewel “‘n Verhandeling oor Aflate gepubliseer deur Doktor Martin van die Orde van Sint Augustinus te Wittenberg. Aan aartsbiskop Albrecht van Mainz, 31 Oktober 1517.” Hierdie langvergete verhandeling van Luther is in die argiewe van Mainz opgespoor “tussen die papiere wat die korrespondensie tussen aartsbiskop Albrecht en die Mainz-universiteitsfakulteit van Desember 1517 bevat het.” Dit is in 1907 deur F. Herrmann in die Tydskrif vir Kerkgeskiedenis (ZKG) gepubliseer.[12] Die Jesuïet en Luther-kenner Jared Wicks glo dat hierdie vroeë verhandeling van besondere historiese belang is:

“Hierdie dokument is die kort verhandeling wat die hooftrekke weergee van ‘n voorlopige teologie van aflate wat Luther aan aartsbiskop Albrecht van Mainz en Maagdenburg op daardie lotvallige dag van 31 Oktober 1517 gestuur het. Dit het slegs beperkte aandag ontvang van historici en teoloë wat die ontstaan van die Hervorming ondersoek het. Dit is betreurenswaardig aangesien die verhandeling op ordelike en bondige wyse Luther se begrip van aflate in 1517 verklaar, en sy opvatting van die beperkte rol van aflate in ‘n Christenlewe openbaar. Die verhandeling verskaf die teologiese standpunt vir Luther se ingryping, en toon in die kleine die ryk Augustynse spiritualiteit van boetedoening en vordering wat hy in sy vroeë werke gesmee het. Dit word soms as ‘n tragedie van die 1517-gebeure beskou dat die bitsige 95 stellings binne ‘n kwessie van weke oor Duitsland versprei is, terwyl hierdie deurdringende klein verhandeling in vergetelheid stof vergaar het.”^[13]

Alhoewel aflate die ware verdienste van Christus en van Sy heiliges is, en as sodanig alle eerbied beskore is, het hulle nietemin ‘n waarlik skokkende praktyk van gierigheid te beurt geval. Want wie soek eintlik die saligheid van siele deur aflate, en nie eerder geld vir sy koffers nie? Dit blyk duidelik uit die wyse wat aflate gepredik word. Want die kommissarisse en predikers doen niks anders as om aflate te verheerlik en die mense aan te moedig om by te dra nie. Jy hoor niemand wat die mense leer wat aflate naamlik is, of hoeveel hulle toestaan, of omtrent die doel wat hulle vervul nie. Instede hoor jy net hoeveel jy moet betaal. Die mense word altyd in onkunde gelaat, sodat hulle dink dat met die verkryging van ‘n aflaat hulle meteens saligheid ontvang. Dit is ook van alle waarheid ontbloot, aangesien ons slegs deur geloof in Jesus as die Christus gered kan word. Die tiende predikers gebruik dit vandag nog om vir hulle self miljoene in te samel, want hoe groter die probleem, hoe meer gaan dit kos om van die probleem ontslae te word.

English version.

“An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven.”Joel Hodge, from ACU’s School of Theology, says the belief is that indulgences can reduce believers’ need for purification from the effects of sin in Purgatory before they can enter heaven.

The same thing is still used by our tithing pastors who believes that should you have a sickness or any other condition even in your finances, they will pray for you but you have to give to their ministry. The bigger the request the more money you have to pay. So they are only lining their purses with your money as we all know that God is the one who controls what happens to you, and that by faith alone you are saved. But the tithing pastors will never tell their congregation or audience that it is only by faith that we are saved, healed and led to a place in our lives where we know what is wrong or causing our condition. So that is how they enrich themselves.

PHOTO: The sale of indulgences helped pay for the rebuilding of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. (ABC News: Mary Gearin)

To this day they’ve been given out by the Church for acts of charity or the recital of prayers, as examples. You can use them for yourself or loved ones who have died.

Luther had a problem with the fact the Catholic Church of his day was essentially selling indulgences — indeed, according to Professor MacCulloch, they helped pay for the rebuilding of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Later, Luther appears to have dropped his belief in Purgatory altogether. Certainly, he denied that a person’s actions had any role to play in salvation, saying faith alone was what counted.

The sale of indulgences was abolished by the Pope in 1567.

He believed Christians should hold to the Bible alone.

This was another of the major issues of the Protestant Reformation.

Luther was the Donald Trump of his generation

The Protestant Reformation wasn’t just a religious rift. It was also the world’s first viral media campaign, writes Siobhan Hegarty for God Forbid.

According to Dr Hodge, Catholics teach that divine revelation is communicated through scripture and tradition. For instance, they argue the living tradition (oral stories, practices) existed before the New Testament was written down.

Examples of Catholic tradition include clerical celibacy, papal infallibility and the immaculate conception of Mary the mother of Jesus.

But Luther disapproved of any additional traditions. He taught that the Bible alone was the source of revelation.

“Neither the Church nor the pope can establish articles of faith. These must come from Scripture,” he said.