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Br. Paul Nguyen, OMV

Modern Church History, Orlando
February 11, 2015
Luther's Theses Against Indulgences
In the course of Martin Luther's protest against the sale of indulgences and the
overreaching of the Catholic hierarchy to pardon souls, he promotes the practice of charity.
This stands opposed, at face value, to his tenet of sola fides, but is, in fact, a notable
position in a complete Christian life. Sola fides, taken to be the necessity of faith for salvation, is
a perfectly acceptable doctrine of itself. Taken in the radical sense, faith is regarded as both
necessary and sufficient for salvation, and the sola fideist utterly discards any works of charity
or mercy. The virtuous middle here triumphs. It is rather that faith is necessary for salvation, and
that it normally motivates the believer to go out of himself to do these works of love and mercy
for his neighbors, in imitation of Christ, which will, in fact, strengthen his faith.
Luther proposes, in theses 4146, that good Christians focus more on their interior
contrition (3) and on doing works of mercy than upon purchasing their forgiveness. He gets so
much right in his Christocentric framework and his insistence on the value of works of mercy to
heal the sinner (4344), acknowledging the wonderful dynamic of grace building upon nature. It
seems, however, that he was so intent on denouncing the papists and clerical corruption that he
neglected to follow this powerful dynamic of re-focusing doctrines on the essential saving truth
of the Gospel (54).
In interactions with non-Catholic friends, I saw that this dichotomy between the standard
of faith alone and of faith and works is still powerfully taught. The age-old debate over the value
of works not necessary for salvation rages on. Yet, we can observe that the Catholic answer,
which teaches the value of the perfection of nature for the fuller reception of grace, relies on
good works for faith to grow in a person. It is our human dignity and freedom that underlies our

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assent to the gift of faith, freely given by God and unmerited by each of us. And it is by works of
charity and human works that increase our habits of living in freedom that allow for a more
complete assent to that faith, which alone saves us. It is we, who are being saved, who, when
more fully ourselves by good works animated by faith, are thereby more fully God's.
Indulgences as Catholics now understand them, are analogously an expression of God's
mercy, that He would accept acts of piety or charity as satisfaction for temporal punishment. The
role of the Church (specifically, her hierarchy) in such works is to recognize their efficacy in
obtaining for the person, often in his nature, sufficient discipline to more fully repent and to
demonstrate, as a fruit of the graces received, further readiness to enter fully into the Kingdom of
God.
Luther had a great many things right, and had he remained within the Church to bring
about the reforms he desired and that the Church needed, he would be a hero and the Church on
earth so much stronger. It is beautiful today when Christians of diverse traditions stretching back
to Martin Luther's day can unite in these works of love and mercy, and it will be even more
beautiful when the perspectives that divide us finally join in the truth!