95 Theses

Why 95 Theses?  It sounds to me like a thick book full of student-like papers written in 5-paragraph form for each (95 times).  However, a quick view of the text shows it to simply to be a list of gripes against the Catholic Church for some of their traditional practices.

When I went on Wikipedia to learn about Martin Luther's 95 Theses & the beginning of the Reformation, I discovered that it was simply one in a line of events, sortable by

Timeline:

Precursors

The Start of the Reformation

The Ninety-Five Theses
English Reformation
German Peasants' War
Schmalkaldic League
Magisterial · Radical · Counter

People:

Protestant Reformers:
Martin Luther - Philipp Melanchthon - Thomas Müntzer - Menno Simons - Martin Bucer - Olaus & Laurentius Petri - Huldrych Zwingli - John Calvin - John Knox

Or Places:

Reformation by location:

Denmark-Norway and Holstein - England - Germany - Italy - Netherlands - Scotland - Sweden - France - Switzerland

I didn't realize that the Reformation spread across Europe in quite that way - but, Duh!, of course it did!

I've always wondered about Martin Luther posting his theses on the church doors - of course, I think of church doors like the ones on our modern church buildings (glass doors)!  But I instantly realize that church doors at the time were made of wood.  But wouldn't it be rather sacrilege to post a large document like that on the church doors?  Acording to the Wikipedia article, in those days, it was customary to use the church doors much like a community bulletin board.  I suppose it was a service the churches offered, but it just seems like it could easily become messy.

The article offered a couple guesses of when the theses were posted, but implies it was most likely done on October 31, 1517, the eve before All Saints Day, when the whole town would come to church.Waldensians (I 12th century)Avignon Papacy (1309 to 1377)John Wycliffe (E, 1320–1384)Western Schism (1378–1417)Jan Hus (B, ~1369–1415)Hussite Wars (1420 to ~1434)Northern Renaissance
German mysticism