Please Define the Following Key Terms

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The Answer is Johann Tetzel (1465–1519) was a German Dominican friar and preacher who became famous for selling indulgences in the early 16th century. Indulgences were a form of pardon that the Catholic Church offered to reduce the amount of punishment one had to undergo for sins. They could be obtained through various means, such as prayer, good deeds, or in Tetzel's case, by giving money to the Church.

Tetzel's name is particularly associated with the saying "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs," which encapsulates the practice of selling indulgences for money. Although this phrase is often attributed to him, it's unclear whether Tetzel actually said it. However, it does reflect the essence of the transactions he was involved in.

Tetzel's activities were a significant factor in Martin Luther's decision to write his Ninety-Five Theses, which he famously nailed to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg in 1517. Luther's theses were a direct challenge to the authority of the Catholic Church and the practice of selling indulgences, which he saw as corrupt and unbiblical.

Luther's protest against Tetzel's indulgence sales sparked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that led to a profound and lasting transformation of Christianity in Europe. Tetzel's role in the events leading up to the Reformation has made him a key figure in the history of the period, although his legacy is largely a negative one due to his association with the controversial practice of selling indulgences.

Please Define the Following Key Terms

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