To combat abuses in the church of his day, a young German monk drafted nearly one hundred propositions for public debate. Martin Luther posted these theses on the church door in Wittenberg, an action that helped to give birth to the Reformation.

Many people have heard of the Ninety-Five Theses, but few have read it. Yet it is a crucial text—a bold and stirring challenge to one of the largest political and ecclesiastical machines this world has ever seen. This complete reproduction includes an introduction and extensive annotations to explain the context and meaning of a short, simple work that changed the course of history.