Page:Thirty-five years of Luther research.djvu/95

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Luther's Ninety-Five Theses
57

contradictions of the Roman theologians. Brieger, on the other hand, has given close study to the systematical arrangement of the Ninety-five Theses.

Because the systematic arrangement is by no means so clear at the first glance, we shall here reproduce it, as Brieger thinks it to be (according to Hermelink, Geschichte der Reformation, 1912): The first seven sentences constitute the introduction and offer the fundamental definition of repentance (the life-long pœnitentia vera interior that is demanded by Christ is distinguished from the sacramental act of Penitence: it finds its expression in mortificationes carnis, Theses 1-4), that of punishment (5), and that of culpability (6-7). The first main passage, Theses 8-29, treats of purgatory in a double respect. First, the relation between the idea of pœna canonica and pœna purgatorii (8-19): negatively 8-13 (morituri legibus canonum mortui iam sunt), and affirmatively 14-19 (spiritual interpretation of purgatory, which serves to increase love and decrease fear). Then the relation of the pope to purgatory is investigated in 20-29: negatively in 20-24 (the pope can only excuse from the punishment he himself has exacted, therefore not from the punishment of purgatory, and affirmatively in 25-29 (the papal suflfragium is dependent upon the will of God). The second main passage (30-80) deals of the indulgences for the living. Theses 30-55 contain contents and subject-matter of the indulgence sermons (30-35 criticism of indulgence sermons, 36-40 positive declarations beginning with the premises of the Catholic doctrine of penitence; 41-52 the right form of indulgence sermons and the one solely wanted by the pope; 53-55 its non-value compared with the other parts of divine service). Proceeding from the practical into the dogmatical, we are