The Ninety-Five Theses were a list of statements written by Martin Luther in 1517. They criticized the practices of the Catholic Church, particularly the sale of indulgences, which were payments made to reduce punishment for sins. Luther believed that salvation should come through faith alone, not through buying forgiveness. His theses sparked a movement that led to the Protestant Reformation. Luther nailed his theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, making his ideas public. This act encouraged others to question the Church's authority and practices. The Ninety-Five Theses became a symbol of the fight for religious reform and freedom of belief.