A major new account of the most intensely creative years of Luther's career The Making of Martin Luther takes a provocative look at the intellectual emergence of one of the most original and influential minds of the sixteenth century. Richard Rex traces how, in a concentrated burst of creative energy in the few years surrounding his excommunication by Pope Leo X in 1521, this lecturer at an obscure German university developed a startling new interpretation of the Christian faith that brought to an end the dominance of the Catholic Church in Europe. Lucidly argued and elegantly written, The Making of Martin Luther is a splendid work of intellectual history that renders Luther's earthshaking yet sometimes challenging ideas accessible to a new generation of readers. " The Making of Martin Luther is a nice jumping-off point for Luther scholarship, whether you're a believer/theologian or a secularist/agnostic/atheist." -- Manhattan Book Review "A remarkably sympathetic portrait of the Reformer, and it is possibly the best concise study of Luther's early reforming career that I have read." --Carl R. Trueman, First Things "Brilliant." --Melanie McDonagh, The Spectator "Readable, free of jargon, and entertaining." --Bradley A. Peterson, Reading Religion "A remarkable piece of writing that will have an enduring influence. With shrewd and canny insights, powerful prose, and wit, Richard Rex offers a persuasive and provocative tour through the early years of the Reformation." --Bruce Gordon, author of John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion": A Biography "Brilliant." ―Melanie McDonagh, The Spectator "A remarkably sympathetic portrait of the Reformer, and it is possibly the best concise study of Luther's early reforming career that I have read." ―Carl R. Trueman, First Things "Readable, free of jargon, and entertaining." ―Bradley A. Peterson, Reading Religion " The Making of Martin Luther is a nice jumping-off point for Luther scholarship, whether you're a believer/theologian or a secularist/agnostic/atheist." ― Manhattan Book Review "A remarkable piece of writing that will have an enduring influence. With shrewd and canny insights, powerful prose, and wit, Richard Rex offers a persuasive and provocative tour through the early years of the Reformation." ―Bruce Gordon, author of John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion": A Biography "A remarkable piece of writing that will have an enduring influence. With shrewd and canny insights, powerful prose, and wit, Richard Rex offers a persuasive and provocative tour through the early years of the Reformation." --Bruce Gordon, author of John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion": A Biography "One of the most interesting and original studies of Luther that I've read in my career. Combining deep learning and analytical rigor with a wry sense of humor, Rex breaks through the crust of endlessly repeated scholarly narratives and interpretative assumptions that have long been taken for granted. The Making of Martin Luther is an important book." --Brad S. Gregory, author of The Unintended Reformation: How a Religious Revolution Secularized Society Richard Rex is professor of Reformation history at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of Queens' College. His books include Tudors: The Illustrated History and Henry VIII and the English Reformation .