Luther's Ninety-Five Theses primarily advocated which reforms?

• A. A declaration of war against the pope.
• B. A reform program including a German Bible, ending indulgences, and non-imposed tithes.
• C. A treaty with the Holy Roman Emperor.
• D. A new liturgical rite.

Answer: (B)

Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses are a call for reform within the Catholic Church, emphasizing practical changes in belief and practice rather than political power or liturgical innovation. The most fitting answer reflects that reform program: it includes translating the Bible into German so ordinary people could read Scripture for themselves, it denounces the sale of indulgences as a corrupt practice, and it points toward reevaluating how church finances were handled so that practices like forced or broad-based tithes aren’t used to fund abuses. The other options miss the heart of the theses, which were not about declaring war, negotiating with emperors, or creating a new liturgical rite. This framing—scriptural accessibility, critique of indulgences, and broader reform of church finances—best captures what Luther was advocating.