“Luther took a great step in putting the Word of God into the hands of the people.”
The ignorance of Pope Francis is all too often displayed, as in that distortion. In reality, Johann Gutenberg, a Catholic, produced the first printed Bible, with the Church’s approval, in 1455. Luther was not born until 1483. There were 18 German editions of the whole Bible before the Catholic monk Luther posted his 95 theses in 1517, and there were German, Flemish, Italian, Spanish, and Polish editions before Luther left the Church. The first English edition appeared in 1525. James I in England authorised the “King James” version only in 1604.
'October 31, 15 17: Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of the Castle Church; the Reformation begins.' In 1961, however, a catholic Luther researcher, Erwin Iserloh published a study in which he relegated to the world of fantasy the fact that Luther nailed his Thesis to the door of the church. He had several arguments to do so. It was Luther's friend and successor Philipp Melanchton who mentioned this event in one of his writings. But we also know that Melanchton was not an eyewitness of the event. He came to Wittenberg only in 1518 to become a professor at the university. The story was only told for the first time after Luther's death. Luther and his friend John Agricola had never spoke n about the publication of the Thesis in this way. It is true, an announcement of upcoming disputes was regularly hung on the door of the Castle Church. So the publication of this document would be an invitation to a public debate as well. But no original copy of the Thesis has been found and the debate was never held. It is also highly unlikely that Luther would have done so. Publication of the Thesis in this way could have been interpreted as an open provocation of his superiors. And that was never Luther's intention, he only wanted to dear up some misunderstandings. With out realising however, his words stabbed the roman superstition to the heart. One thing is sure: Luther wrote a letter to Albert, the archbishop of Mainz on 31 October 1517, enclosing a copy of the Thesis, protesting about th e instructions Albert had given to the sellers of the letters of pardon. Today, the majority of Luther researchers agree that Luther did not nail his Thesis to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on that day.
--Previous Message-- : Catholic World News : Catholics should learn from Luther, Pope : says in new interview : : http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=29780 : : “Luther took a great step in putting the : Word of God into the hands of the people.” : : The ignorance of Pope Francis is all too : often displayed, as in that distortion. : In reality, Johann Gutenberg, a Catholic, : produced the first printed Bible, with the : Church’s approval, in 1455. Luther was not : born until 1483. There were 18 German : editions of the whole Bible before the : Catholic monk Luther posted his 95 theses in : 1517, and there were German, Flemish, : Italian, Spanish, and Polish editions before : Luther left the Church. The first English : edition appeared in 1525. James I in England : authorised the “King James” version only in : 1604. : :
Latest developments in the debate about the theses being nailed to the church door. by Dr. Martin Treu In 1961, the Catholic Luther researcher Erwin Iserloh realized that in all the works and letters of the Reformer he nowhere explicitly mentioned nailing his 95 theses to the door on October 31, 1517. Philipp Melanchthon was the first to mention it in the preface to the first volume of Luther's Collected Works in 1546. But by then Luther was already dead. Melanchthon only came to Wittenberg in 1518, and so could not have been an eye-witness. So Iserloh concluded that the theses had never been nailed to the door, and began a huge debate, which has still not been brought to a final conclusion.
The unnoticed comment by Luther's secretary In 2006, Martin Treu from the Luther Memorials Foundation of Saxony- Anhalt rediscovered a handwritten comment by Luther’s secretary Georg Rörer (1492-1557) in the Jena University and State Library, which although printed, had so far played no role in research. Right at the end of the desk copy for the revision of the New Testament in 1540, Rörer made the following note: „On the evening before All Saints’ Day in the year of our Lord 1517, theses about letters of indulgence were nailed to the doors of the Wittenberg churches by Doctor Martin Luther.”
The ultimate evidence has not been produced Now Rörer was also not an eye-witness, but he was one of Luther's closest staff. The copy of the New Testament, in which he made his note, contains many entries in Luther’s own hand. The note right at the end of the volume leads us to assume that it was made at the conclusion of the revision work in November 1544. Directly beside it is another note, according to which Philipp Melanchthon arrived in Wittenberg on August 20, 1518, at ten o’ clock in the morning. This information is not to be found anywhere else and presumably came directly from Melanchthon himself. Rörer's reference to the Wittenberg churches in the plural must be emphasized, as it corresponds to the statutes of the university. According to these, all public announcements had to be nailed to the doors of the churches.
While this does not give final proof of the theses being nailed to the door, together with Rörer’s note it seems much more probable. It is at least so far the oldest source for it from the time when Luther was still alive. And: Wittenberg now has more than one “Theses Door”.
A 2014 recent study, I used in Jesuit Eureka Street discussion re theses
"Re 'Luther nailing theses to the door' legend! "Luther made no reference to this public act in any of his writings and Melancthon, the sole source of the story, did not arrive to take up a post at the university until the following year. What Luther did do was fully in line with academic convention. He distributed to various scholars a series of propositions on the theological implications of the sale of indulgences. Out of courtesy he sent a copy to his diocesan bishop"[1][2] ================================================ [1][Forget 'hammer and nail and hunk o' wood' -THE ISSUE IS UNRESOLVED CF ] Wilson, Derek (2014-09-25). Out Of The Storm: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther (Kindle Locations 1841-1844). Random House. Kindle Edition. [2]About the Author: Derek Wilson is well-known through his books, radio and TV appearances, frequent journalistic features and festival appearances as one of the UK’s leading narrative historians. Among his critically acclaimed and bestselling books are The King and the Gentleman: Charles Stuart and Oliver Cromwell 1599– 1649; In the Lion's Court: Power, Ambition and Sudden Death in the Reign of Henry VIII; All the King's Women: Love, Sex and Politics in the Life of Charles II and Charlemagne: The Great Adventure. Derek Wilson is the organiser of the Cambridge History Festival.
Wilson, Derek. Out Of The Storm: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther . Random House. Kindle Edition.
--Previous Message-- : A more recent analysis tends to support the : nailing of the theses to the Church door. : : : https://www.luther2017.de/en/martin-luther/history-stories/on-the-doors-of-the-wittenberg-churches/ : : Latest developments in the debate about the : theses being nailed to the church door. : by Dr. Martin Treu : In 1961, the Catholic Luther researcher : Erwin Iserloh realized that in all the works : and letters of the Reformer he nowhere : explicitly mentioned nailing his 95 theses : to the door on October 31, 1517. Philipp : Melanchthon was the first to mention it in : the preface to the first volume of Luther's : Collected Works in 1546. But by then Luther : was already dead. Melanchthon only came to : Wittenberg in 1518, and so could not have : been an eye-witness. So Iserloh concluded : that the theses had never been nailed to the : door, and began a huge debate, which has : still not been brought to a final : conclusion. : : The unnoticed comment by Luther's secretary : In 2006, Martin Treu from the Luther : Memorials Foundation of Saxony- Anhalt : rediscovered a handwritten comment by : Luther’s secretary Georg Rörer (1492-1557) : in the Jena University and State Library, : which although printed, had so far played no : role in research. Right at the end of the : desk copy for the revision of the New : Testament in 1540, Rörer made the following : note: „On the evening before All Saints’ Day : in the year of our Lord 1517, theses about : letters of indulgence were nailed to the : doors of the Wittenberg churches by Doctor : Martin Luther.” : : The ultimate evidence has not been produced : Now Rörer was also not an eye-witness, but : he was one of Luther's closest staff. The : copy of the New Testament, in which he made : his note, contains many entries in Luther’s : own hand. The note right at the end of the : volume leads us to assume that it was made : at the conclusion of the revision work in : November 1544. Directly beside it is another : note, according to which Philipp Melanchthon : arrived in Wittenberg on August 20, 1518, at : ten o’ clock in the morning. This : information is not to be found anywhere else : and presumably came directly from : Melanchthon himself. Rörer's reference to : the Wittenberg churches in the plural must : be emphasized, as it corresponds to the : statutes of the university. According to : these, all public announcements had to be : nailed to the doors of the churches. : : While this does not give final proof of the : theses being nailed to the door, together : with Rörer’s note it seems much more : probable. It is at least so far the oldest : source for it from the time when Luther was : still alive. And: Wittenberg now has more : than one “Theses Door”. : :
THE THOT PLICKENS WITH POSSIBLE MELANCTHON COLLUSIVE ANNOTATION
aS NOTED ABOVENow Rörer was also not an eye-witness, but he was one of Luther’s closest staff. The copy of the New Testament, in which he made his note, contains many entries in Luther’s own hand. The note right at the end of the volume leads us to assume that it was made at the conclusion of the revision work in November 1544. Directly beside it is another note, according to which Philipp Melanchthon arrived in Wittenberg on August 20, 1518, at ten o’ clock in the morning. This information is not to be found anywhere else and presumably came directly from Melanchthon himself [I ADD MELANCTHON IS NOT REGARDED AS AN IN SITU WITNESS-SO THE PROBLEM REMAINS]????
--Previous Message-- : A more recent analysis tends to support the : nailing of the theses to the Church door. : : : https://www.luther2017.de/en/martin-luther/history-stories/on-the-doors-of-the-wittenberg-churches/ : : Latest developments in the debate about the : theses being nailed to the church door. : by Dr. Martin Treu : In 1961, the Catholic Luther researcher : Erwin Iserloh realized that in all the works : and letters of the Reformer he nowhere : explicitly mentioned nailing his 95 theses : to the door on October 31, 1517. Philipp : Melanchthon was the first to mention it in : the preface to the first volume of Luther's : Collected Works in 1546. But by then Luther : was already dead. Melanchthon only came to : Wittenberg in 1518, and so could not have : been an eye-witness. So Iserloh concluded : that the theses had never been nailed to the : door, and began a huge debate, which has : still not been brought to a final : conclusion. : : The unnoticed comment by Luther's secretary : In 2006, Martin Treu from the Luther : Memorials Foundation of Saxony- Anhalt : rediscovered a handwritten comment by : Luther’s secretary Georg Rörer (1492-1557) : in the Jena University and State Library, : which although printed, had so far played no : role in research. Right at the end of the : desk copy for the revision of the New : Testament in 1540, Rörer made the following : note: „On the evening before All Saints’ Day : in the year of our Lord 1517, theses about : letters of indulgence were nailed to the : doors of the Wittenberg churches by Doctor : Martin Luther.” : : The ultimate evidence has not been produced : Now Rörer was also not an eye-witness, but : he was one of Luther's closest staff. The : copy of the New Testament, in which he made : his note, contains many entries in Luther’s : own hand. The note right at the end of the : volume leads us to assume that it was made : at the conclusion of the revision work in : November 1544. Directly beside it is another : note, according to which Philipp Melanchthon : arrived in Wittenberg on August 20, 1518, at : ten o’ clock in the morning. This : information is not to be found anywhere else : and presumably came directly from : Melanchthon himself. Rörer's reference to : the Wittenberg churches in the plural must : be emphasized, as it corresponds to the : statutes of the university. According to : these, all public announcements had to be : nailed to the doors of the churches. : : While this does not give final proof of the : theses being nailed to the door, together : with Rörer’s note it seems much more : probable. It is at least so far the oldest : source for it from the time when Luther was : still alive. And: Wittenberg now has more : than one “Theses Door”. : :