Iram Arce
04-9-15
Ms. Crane
Lutheranism against Catholicism
In 1517, Pope Leo X issued indulgences for people to buy so he could raise money for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica. An indulgence is the extra, sacramental remission of the temporal punishment due, that would allow a soul to be forgiven and be saved from purgatory or hell. Furthermore that year Martin Luther penned a document attacking the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences to absolve sin by nailing 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg that explained why their practices were wrong. The Pope excommunicated Luther, which cut him off from receiving any of the church’s sacraments. The Catholic Church would not change any of its theology or practice. To reform the Catholic Church, Luther would have to build his principles known as Lutheranism into a new church, and that church, the Lutheran Church, would bear his name. Both Lutheranism and Catholicism are Christian however they are both a different denomination, with disparate beliefs such as salvation and religious authority.
Lutherans believe that salvation is available to all humans through the redeeming work of Christ, therefore believing that people are justified, or given the right to salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ alone and not by works and sacraments. Salvation is when a soul is allowed to go to heaven instead of purgatory or hell. However on the other hand Catholics have a different point of view when it comes to salvation. Unlike the Lutherans they believe that in order to reach heaven when death comes along they must go through the process of baptism, where one is completely dipped in water and said to be forgiven of all their sins. It is maintained by good works and participation in the sacraments. If lost, it is regained through the sacrament of Penance which only a Roman Catholic priest can administer. Penance, is a Christian sacrament in which a member of the Church confesses sins to a priest and...