Johann Tetzel

Johann Tetzel , c.1465-1519, German preacher, b. Pirna, Germany. He joined the Dominicans. He became a well-known preacher and was made inquisitor general of Poland at the instance of Cajetan . In 1503 he preached an indulgence mission for the Teutonic Knights and in 1506 another along the Rhine. In 1517 his promotion of the indulgence for the erection of St. Peter's Church aroused the indignation of Martin Luther , whose theses were in part promoted by Tetzel's preaching. In 1518, Tetzel replied to Luther's theses, and their dispute became famous throughout Germany. Tetzel soon retired in bad health to his monastery at Leipzig, where he was overwhelmed by the attacks of his enemies and the censures of the papal legate. Tetzel has been greatly overrated in importance. He had no thought of personal gain from his preaching of the indulgence. His teaching on indulgences was not in accord with the doctrine of the church; the sine qua non in gaining an indulgence is to feel contrition for all sins, but Tetzel did not require that for indulgences gained on behalf of the dead, only for those gained for oneself.

Tetzel, Johann (c.1464–1519), German Dominican. After preaching the indulgence for the campaign of the Teutonic Order in Livonia, in 1516 he was appointed to preach the one for the rebuilding of St Peter's, Rome. Following the instructions given to the team of which he was part, he maintained the controversial thesis that indulgences could be obtained for the benefit of souls in purgatory by payment of money, even by those not themselves in a state of grace. His preaching prompted M. Luther to issue his 95 theses in 1517.

Tetzel, John or Johann Tetzel (1465–1519). Dominican friar. Renowned as a preacher of indulgences, he collected money for the building of St Peter's, Rome, and the purchase of Albert of Magdeburg's archbishopric. On 31 Oct. 1517, Luther published his famous ninety-five theses attacking the indulgence traffic. In 1519 the papal nuncio von Miltitz endeavoured to restrain Tetzel in an attempt to reconcile those who were scandalized by his eloquent commercialism.