Johann Tetzel
| Johann Tetzel | |
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| Born | 1465 Pirna, Electorate of Saxony |
| Died | 4 July 1519 (aged c. 54) Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony |
| Nationality | German |
| Occupation | Dominican preacher |
| Known for | Selling indulgences |
Johann Tetzel, O.P. (1465–11 August 1519) was a Roman Catholic German, Dominican friar and preacher. In addition, he was a Grand Inquisitor of Heresy to Poland, and later became the Grand Commissioner for indulgences in Germany. Tetzel was known for granting indulgences in exchange for money, which allow a remission of temporal punishment due to sin, the guilt of which has been forgiven, a position heavily challenged by Martin Luther. This contributed in part to the Protestant Reformation.
Tetzel was born in Pirna, Saxony, and studied theology and philosophy at the University of Leipzig. He entered the Dominican order in 1489, achieved some success as a preacher, and was in 1502 commissioned by Giovanni Cardinal de 'Medici, later Pope Leo X, to preach the (Christian) Jubilee indulgence, which he did throughout his life. In 1509 he was made an inquisitor of Poland and, in January 1517 was made commissioner of indulgences for Archbishop Albrecht von Brandenburg in the dioceses of Magdeburg and Halberstadt.
He acquired the degree of Licentiate of Sacred Theology in the University of Frankfurt an der Oder in 1517, and then of Doctor of Sacred Theology in 1518, by defending in two disputations, the doctrine of indulgences against Martin Luther. The accusation that he had sold full forgiveness for sins not yet committed caused a great scandal. It was believed that all of the money that Tetzel raised was for the ongoing reconstruction of St. Peter's Basilica, although half the money went to the Archbishop of Mainz, Cardinal Albert of Brandenburg (under whose authority Tetzel was operating), to pay off the debts incurred in securing Albert's appointment to the Archbishopric. Luther began to preach openly against him and was inspired to write his famous Ninety-Five Theses, in part, due to Tetzel's actions, in which he states,
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