The Archbishop of Mainz has drafted the following letter to Herr Martin Luther, cosigned by other German prelates, to be published and disseminated as a pamphlet.

Dear Herr Luther,

I had the pleasure of hearing you speak before me twice in the past year. Once in April of 1518 in Frankfurt and once in January of 1519 in Augsburg. Both times what I heard before me was a mixture of truth and heresy. It is true that the sale of indulgences in Germany has been excessive in recent years, and it is true that the Church is in need of reform. However, reform of the Church can only take place from within.

The Church is God's vehicle with which he spreads his Word on Earth. The Church is the arm through which God's will is enacted, it is the scroll on which His plan is revealed. If one finger on that arm has become gangrenous we cannot chop off the whole arm, we must work to heal the rot and mend the wound. If ink has spilled on the scroll, we should not toss the whole thing in the fire.

You have held the authority of scripture above that of the Church. You act as if the Church acts in contravention of Scripture, while the Church asserts that Scripture and Canon are not in contradiction. Would God command his Church to contradict his Word as laid down in Scripture? Or could it be that your interpretation of Scripture is in error?

I believe, Herr Luther, that you have fallen victim to the sin of pride. You have noticed some errors in the ways of the Church and you have come to believe that your interpretation of scripture is superior to that of the Church. You must find in yourself the humility to listen to your superiors when they point on the error in your ways just as your superiors have listened to you. His Holiness has already promulgated the bull Cum Postquam clarifying the doctrine of indulgences taking into account some of the criticisms you levied over a year ago yet you continue to accuse him of denying scripture.

Herr Luther, I wish to engage in dialog with you. The German Church will be meeting in August 1519 to discuss Cum Postquam and what it means for the practice of the collection of indulgences in Germany. However, this dialog cannot take place unless you accept the authority of the Pope in the promulgation of Cum Postquam. Recant your denial of the authority of the Pope, accept the truth of Cum Postquam and you may attend the synod.

The Church is willing to accept your submission to its authority in many ways. If you wish, I can arrange for an emissary of the Church to meet with you privately. If you wish, you may recant publicly at your upcoming appearance in Wittenberg. However, if you continue to deny the authority of the Church, King Charles V is prepared to issue an Imperial Ban against you. I beg you to accept the authority of the Church and return to the fold.

Signed,

Elector Hermann von Wied of Mainz

Elector Philipp of Burgundy of Cologne

(other Bishop names to be added in the time bubble when I get my NPC and player responses)

As indicated in the letter, a Synod of the German Church has been called for August of 1519. It will be held in Mainz and all Bishops of Germany have been invited. Officially, the synod will be discussing the Bull Cum Postquam and its implications. Unofficially, more far-reaching reforms on the Church will be on the agenda. Cardinal Catejan will be invited to represent the Pope while Desideratus Erasmus of Rotterdam will be invited to speak on behalf of reform. Whether or not Martin Luther will attend will depend on his willingness to accept the Church's authority.