1517 Theses

The 1517 Theses, commonly known as the Ninety-five Theses, were a list of criticisms written by Martin Luther, a German monk, challenging certain practices of the Catholic Church—most notably the sale of indulgences, which promised forgiveness of sins for money. Luther believed that salvation was a gift from God, achievable through faith, not purchase or rituals. His theses sparked the Protestant Reformation, a major religious movement that led to the creation of new Christian denominations and significant changes in church authority, doctrine, and practice across Europe.