The Indulgence Slip

                Indulgences are something that I have been aware of since High School.  I knew they were sold and what they were, but I was never really sure what happened when you bought an indulgence.  Did a priest just bless you?  Did they say a prayer for your ancestors?  From researching a bit on the internet, I found that some indulgence salesmen, such as a Dominican monk Johannes Tetzel, would provide a piece of paper with text that read "In the authority of all the saints, and in compassion towards you, I absolve you from all sins and misdeeds, and remit all punishment for ten days".  This picture below is an example of one of these indulgence slips sold by Tetzel in 1517. 

                

                 When we think about indulgences it seems ridiculously and almost hard to believe that any one would think you could just pay to have your sins expunged.  What we have to keep in mind is that most of the people were unable to read.  They received their interpretation of the bible from the Catholic Church and there was not an abundance of opposing views.  I don't believe the people in this time were dumb for buying these indulgences, they were simply trying to help their families or themselves out in any way they could.  Buying indulgences was a simple way to aid their family members and was confirmed by the sole church at that time and by their community.

Source:

http://www.welcometohosanna.com/MARTIN_LUTHER/2LUTHER_REFORMER.html