Translation of Rebuttal (1518) by Johann Tetzel

Rebuttal made by Brother Johann Tetzel, the Order of Preachers’ inquisitor of heretics against a presumptuous sermon of twenty erroneous articles concerning papal indulgences and grace, necessary for all believers in Christ to know.^{Citation: 16Tetzel’s pamphlet was published in March or April of 1518. In addition to the copy owned by the Pitts Theology Library, two others are extant and held at the Staatsbibliothek, Munich and at the Universitätsbibliothek, Würzburg.
        Tetzel’s pamphlet was reprinted in J. E. Kapp, Sammlung einiger zum Päbstlichen Ablass überhaupt, Sonderlich aber zu der im Anfang der Reformation zwischen D. Martin Luther und Johann Tetzel hiervon geführten Streitigkeit gehörigen Schriften (Leipzig: Martini, 1721), pp. 317–356; in V. E. Loescher (ed.), Vollständige Reformations-Acta und Documenta (Leipzig: Gross, 1720), I, pp. 484–503; in Walter Köhler (ed.), Dokumente zum Ablassstreit von 1517 (Tübingen/Leipzig: J.C.B. Mohr, 1902; 2nd ed., 1934) (rebuttal 20 incomplete); and Walter Köhler, Luthers 95 Thesen samt seinen Resolutionen sowie den Gegenschriften von Wimpina-Tetzel, Eck und Prierias and den Antworten Luthers darauf (Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1903).
        The most recent and best critical edition is that of Fabisch and Iserloh, (eds.), Dokumente zur Causa Lutheri (for full bibliographic citation, see note 9 above), which was intended to correct and expand upon Köhler’s 1903 work, Luthers 95 Thesen and makes readily accessible—some for the first time—Roman Catholic writings of the earliest stage of the Reformation. Its emphasis lies on the historically crucial texts concerning the preaching of the St. Peter’s Indulgence in the dioceses of Mainz and Magdeburg, as well as the earliest Roman reactions to Luther’s 95 Theses, from 1517 to 1519. The editors provide extensive historical background and bibliographical details for each document.}

This is a rebuttal made by Brother Johann Tetzel, the Order of Preachers’ inquisitor for heretics, necessary for all faithful believers in Christ to know, against a sermon of twenty erroneous articles concerning papal indulgences and grace.

So that Christians not be unduly upset and misled by a sermon of twenty erroneous articles, presumptuously attacking aspects of the sacrament of penance and the truth of indulgences, which was printed and distributed during Lent, the title of which reads, A Sermon on Indulgences and Grace, etc., and after the title continues, “You should know first of all that certain modern teachers such as the Master of the Sentences” and ends in the twentieth article, “But may God give them and us right understanding,”^{Citation: 17Martin Luther, “Ein Sermon von Ablass und Gnade, 1517,” in D. Martin Luther’s Werke: kritische Gesamtausgabe (Weimar: Herman Böhlaus Nachfolger, 1883– ), 1:239–246.} I, Brother Johannes Tetzel, the Order of Preachers’ inquisitor of heretics, have had that same sermon of twenty erroneous articles printed, together with its title, opening, and conclusion. And I refute each article of the named sermon with constant reference to Holy Scripture, as everyone will judge from the following pages.

I do this in spite of the fact that in the nineteenth article of the named sermon is written, “And let the scholastic doctors^{Citation: 18This quotation appears in Luther’s sermon (thesis 19) and in Tetzel’s Rebuttal. Tetzel’s Latin term doctores and the German Doctorn refer to the most influential teachers of Christendom both ancient and modern. Many of both Luther’s and Tetzel’s arguments are concerned with the authority of the “modern” doctors (e.g., Thomas Aquinas, Peter Lombard)—questioning or affirming it, as well as the reliability of the professors of theology at contemporary universities. Hence the term refers equally to teachers who hold the doctoral degree and to theologians in general. This translation uses both terms interchangeably.} be scholastics. The whole lot of them with their opinions are not able to put together a single sermon.” These words should upset no good Christian person. Because if the sermon of twenty erroneous articles hopes to convince anyone, then its author would first have to sweep away the “scholastic doctors,” who all harmoniously oppose these articles in their writings. St. Augustine writes, “When one wants to dispute with the heretics, then one must do so above all on the basis of the Authorities,” that is, Holy Scripture and the writings of reliable theologians uniformly. Just so, “When one wants to instruct Christian believers, it occurs properly by using solid, supporting rationes,”^{Citation: 19St. Augustine of Hippo, 354–430, church father whose theological and philosophical works have exercised tremendous influence on the development of Christian doctrine, for both Eastern and Western Churches. Luther was a monk of the Augustinian Order, which followed the Rule of St. Augustine. For this citation, see J.-P. Migne (ed.), Patrologiae cursus completus … Series Latina (Paris: Garnier Fratres, 1844–1891), 32:1377–1384 (hereafter cited as PL).} that is, through rational evidence and teaching. The heretics know this, and so whenever they want to promote a heretical falsehood among the people, they first reject and scorn all the scholars who have written openly against this particular error, just as Wycliffe and Johannes Hus did.^{Citation: 20John Wycliffe, c. 1329–1384, Oxford theologian, translator of the Bible into English, critic of the temporal authority of the church. He rejected transubstantiation, purgatory, and indulgences. Though condemned as heretic, he died of natural causes, but his works were formally condemned by the Council of Constance (1414), and his remains were exhumed and burned.
        Johannes Hus (or Jan Huss), 1374–1415, Czech priest, theologian, preacher, and rector of the University of Prague. Influenced by Wycliffe’s ideas on church reform, he led the reform movement in Bohemia. He rejected transubstantiation and demanded communion in both kinds. Summoned to the Council of Constance (1414) under imperial guarantee of safe conduct, he was condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake on July 6, 1415.}

This same Johannes Hus not only considered satisfaction for sin unnecessary, but also sacramental confession itself, and persuaded the people accordingly. For this reason the holy ecumenical Council of Constance condemned him to the stake. Such ways are also being pursued in this erroneous sermon of twenty articles. For the Master of Hoenszyn,^{Citation: 21Master of Hoenszyn or Peter Lombard, 1100–1160, French theologian, known as the Master of the Sentences, as noted in Luther’s opening lines. The Sentences (1157–1158) is a four-volume presentation of the essentials of Christian doctrine. From the early thirteenth to the mid-seventeenth centuries, students of theology were required to comment on all or part of this text. As focus of theological study, this work was second only to the Bible. Tetzel is here enjoying some German-Latin word play: Hoenszyn = Master of Gaul = “Haehnchen” (German, “little cock”) = “gallus” (Latin, “cock”).} along with many thousand doctors (of whom many are numbered in the ranks of the revered saints),^{Citation: 22”… of whom many are saints, etc.” Tetzel uses this phrase several times to strengthen his case for the absolute reliability of certain “modern” doctors, most notably St. Thomas Aquinas, the first University of Paris doctor to be canonized and a fellow Dominican. Thomas’ system of theology has acquired quasi-official status in the Church through repeated formal endorsement by various popes.} are scorned in the erroneous sermon, in spite of the fact that the Holy Catholic Church agrees with them concerning the three parts of penance. It has neither found fault with them, but accepted them all as truthful; nor has it admitted or proven that they have written a single dissentient word contrary to Scripture and the four Doctors of the Church.^{Citation: 23The four Doctors of the Church, Saints Ambrose (340–397), Jerome (340–420), Augustine (354–430), and Gregory I (540–604), were proclaimed “Doctors of the Church” by Pope Boniface VIII on September 20, 1295. The title recognized them as the preeminent teachers of the Christian faith.} Rather, they have been recognized as true interpreters of Holy Scripture and of the ancient holy Church Fathers.

For such reasons it should be assumed publicly and supported by all believing Christians that these following articles of this presumptuous Sermon are suspect, erroneous, entirely misleading, and contrary to the holy Christian Church, as I intend to prove with the help of God by refuting each of the Articles individually and in depth.

I bring this rebuttal to the attention of his Papal Holiness, the Pope, the whole Christian Church, and all Universities.^{Citation: 24Tetzel employs a variation of this sentence to conclude each rebuttal. It expresses succinctly and unmistakably his stance on the importance of papal authority and emphasizes his own legitimacy as representative speaker for accepted Church teaching, doctrines which at that very time are being articulated by “trustworthy” academic theologians (cf. note 40 below).}