Johann Tetzel's 'The Sale Of Indulgences'

Maple Chen
Summary: Johann Tetzel’s “The Sale of Indulgences”

“The Sale of Indulgences” contains an excerpt from the sermons of a German friar, Johann Tetzel, in 1515. During and before the 16th century, the Catholic Church sold indulgences, which ensured Christians a direct passage to heaven after death, skipping purgatory in exchange for money or gifts. In “The Sale of Indulgences,” Tetzel expands on this need to purchase indulgences, especially putting emphasis on the pain of purgatory.

It is stated in the introduction that Tetzel’s sermons inspired a fit of attacks on the Catholic Church, since his teachings strayed from those of the Church. One of the most famous attackers who was inspired by Tetzel was Martin Luther, who actions
in 1517, only two years after “The Sale of Indulgences,” sparked the Protestant Revolution. During the Protestant Revolution, many regions broke ties with the Catholic Church due to a variety of criticisms about the Church and its corruption, effectively ending the sale of indulgences in those areas. In the beginning of the Early Modern Era, the Catholic Church was the wealthiest institution in western Europe, and if that didn’t indicate its corruption, the selling of indulgences and Tetzel’s sermons only sparked additional criticism. In “The Sale of Indulgences,” Tetzel preaches about how each mortal sin is paid for by seven years in purgatory and the uncountable number of mortal sins each person must have made in his or her lifetime, almost forcing them into buying an indulgence.

Summary: The New Science

“The New Science” is an advertisement for scientific instruments made by optician John Yarwell in England.
The poster, made in 1683, displays a variety of instruments, including telescopes, microscopes, reading glasses, and magnifying glasses, indicative of the spreading effects of the Scientific Revolution.

“The New Science” was published during the Scientific Revolution, a surge in scientific discoveries and methodology during the 17th and 18th centuries. The poster seems to encourage popular participation in science, although the products shown would only be available to the elites, since they were able to spend money on them. The spread of the image was made possible by Gutenberg's printing press, which was developed in the 15th century and also helped facilitate the spread of other pieces of scientific information during the Scientific Revolution. The printing press’s effect on literacy is evident in the image of the reading glass, which makes it easier for people to read, indicating the widespread popular literacy at the time. Yarwell’s knowledge about optics and his success in making instruments like microscopes and prisms may be due to the discoveries of scientific figures like Kepler and the more recent works of Isaac Newton. The man in the poster is shown using the telescope to look at the sky, which may reflect the recent discoveries of Copernicus and Galileo, who proved the heliocentric model of the universe. Additionally, it was common
for scientific researchers to come in conflict with the church during the Scientific Revolution, since their new findings often contradicted religious teachings. Both Copernicus and Galileo were attacked by the Church for their discoveries. However, “The New Science” was published in England, after Henry VIII’s conversion to Anglicanism, which decreased the power of the Catholic Church there.

Summary: Sir Isaac Newton’s “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy

Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy was written by English mathematics professor Isaac Newton in 1687.
Newton, who lived from 1642 to 1727, made many discoveries in light, gravity, and his universal laws of gravitation and mechanics are still used today. He was also a central figure in the Scientific Revolution. Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, often known as The Principia is his most famous book out of the six he wrote, and excerpt given explains four rules to follow in order to arrive at knowledge.

The Principia was spread by the printing press, which also facilitated literacy. Like “The New Science,” Newton’s The Principia was published in England, away from the prosecuting power of the Catholic Church. However, it is stated in the introduction to Opticks that Newton made efforts to separate the worlds of science and religion, since he was religious himself. The rules Newton provides in the excerpt work to demystify the observable world, making it easier to understand by suggesting how people should approach it. He explains ideas like how the same effects must come from the same causes, and how characteristics true to one body must be true to all others of that kind of body. This reveals a developing scientific method, which emerged during the Scientific
Revolution.