Indulgences and Luther’s 95 Theses

In this episode, we trace how the Reformation rediscovered the gospel—from Luther’s 95 Theses to the rise of Protestant movements—and how God used ordinary people, Scripture, and the printing press to bring His Word back to the world.

--

The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

Donate Now

--

Episode Summary

By the early 1500s, the Catholic Church had become powerful, wealthy, and deeply political. Salvation was treated like a transaction through rituals and indulgences, and the gospel was buried under centuries of human authority. The Bible was locked away in Latin, unreadable to most people. But God was preparing a movement of rediscovery—the Protestant Reformation.

In this episode, we’ll see how men like Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, John Knox, and the lesser-known Anabaptists helped bring Christianity back to the simple gospel of faith in Jesus Christ.

The Reformation wasn’t rebellion—it was rediscovery. It was a return to the gospel buried under layers of religion.

The Reformation Begins

Martin Luther, a German monk, struggled with guilt and never felt good enough for God. While reading Romans 1:17, he discovered that righteousness is a gift from God—received by faith, not earned by works. Around that time, the Church was selling indulgences to raise money for St. Peter’s Basilica, claiming that people could buy forgiveness. Outraged, Luther wrote his 95 Theses and nailed them to a church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517.

The document spread quickly thanks to the newly invented printing press, and a movement was born. Luther stood before church authorities and declared, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. Here I stand. I can do no other.” While hiding from persecution, he translated the Bible into German so ordinary people could read it for themselves.

Other Reformers Across Europe

While Luther led in Germany, others joined the cause across Europe:

• Ulrich Zwingli in Switzerland preached directly from Scripture, opposed indulgences, and emphasized simple, Bible-centered worship.
• John Calvin in France and later Geneva wrote The Institutes of the Christian Religion, organizing Christian theology and emphasizing God’s sovereignty, grace, and the authority of Scripture.
• John Knox in Scotland, a student of Calvin, boldly preached the gospel to kings and queens and helped establish the Presbyterian Church, governed by elders with Christ as its head.
• William Tyndale in England translated the Bible into English so people could read it in their own language.

The Reformation spread rapidly, dividing Europe between those who followed the old system and those who embraced this rediscovered gospel of grace.

The Radical Reformers: The Anabaptists

Not everyone thought the Reformation went far enough. A group in Switzerland called the Anabaptists believed that faith must be personal and voluntary—not forced by rulers or religious systems. They practiced believers’ baptism, nonviolence, and freedom of conscience.

When Felix Manz and others baptized each other as adults in 1525, it was considered rebellion. Sadly, Manz was executed—not by Catholics, but by Protestants who still held to church-state control. The Anabaptists’ bold stand would later inspire groups like the Mennonites, Amish, Baptists, and non-denominational churches today.

The gospel had been freed from superstition—but not yet from compulsion. The Anabaptists carried the Reformation to its logical conclusion: that the church is not an empire, but a community of believers freely following Jesus.

The Five Solas of the Reformation

The Reformers summarized their beliefs in five Latin phrases—all beginning with the word sola, meaning “alone.” These truths became the backbone of Protestant faith:

1. Sola Scriptura — Scripture Alone: The Bible is the final authority for faith and life (2 Timothy 3:16).
2. Sola Fide — Faith Alone: We are made right with God through faith in Jesus (Romans 3:22).
3. Sola Gratia — Grace Alone: Salvation is a free gift from God, not earned by works (Ephesians 2:8).
4. Solus Christus — Christ Alone: Jesus is the only mediator between God and people (1 Timothy 2:5).
5. Soli Deo Gloria — To the Glory of God Alone: All of life and salvation exist for God’s glory (Romans 11:36).

The Legacy of the Reformation

Once people could read the Bible for themselves, faith became personal again. New movements formed—Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, and many others. The gospel spread beyond Europe to the New World, carried by people who wanted to live out biblical Christianity in their own time and culture.

The Word of God is alive and powerful. (Hebrews 4:12)