The term indulgence is related to the concept of sin, or actions in opposition to God's laws. In Luther's time, when a person did something that was considered a sin, he or she was required to confess the sin to a designated church authority (usually a priest). The person then had to undergo a penance (punishment) that the authority prescribed (depending on the nature of the sin). In the context of the church, an indulgence was a statement by the pope exempting a group of people from specific penances by virtue of good deeds they had performed. Indulgences were often published in written form.