The real issue

I have been reading a biography of Martin Luther, and one interesting fact was that a few weeks before he posted his famous 95 theses condemning the sale of indulgences and igniting the reformation he had posted 97 theses on the topic of human depravity and the grace of God. The former was actually far more significant theologically and went much more to the root of the issues that separated Luther from the Catholic Church. A few years later, Erasmus (the foremost scholar of the Renaissance) wrote an essay criticizing Luther's positions on depravity, free will, and grace and Luther responded by praising him for at least realizing what he saw as the central issue. I am hoping in the future to get a chance to read their exchange. For now, I am reflecting on why it is that indulgences set off the controversy. Partly it was political- money was being paid by Germans to build St. Peter's in Rome. Partly it was because of a widespread sense that religious offices and even grace were for sale. But I have to think a big part of the reason for the differential response is that the sale of indulgences affected the real god of people then and now, money. Which will get people more angry, saying something that robs God of glory or swindling them out of their money? It is the same today.