Justification
Articulus stantis aut cadentis ecclesiae
Opening Prayer
Biblical background
Primary texts
Romans 1:16 - 6:11 [1:16-17; 3:19-26; 4:1-5]
James 2:8-26 [14-24]
Various images
law court: justification, acquital
purity laws: cleansing, purification
slavery, imprisonment: redemption, liberation
separation from God: participation in divine, theosis
debt: remission, forgiveness
Terminology
iustificare ; dikaioo ; tsadak
Theological aspects
relationship of justification and sanctification
initial and final justification
works and fruits
nature of problem affects solution:
When viewed as status: imputation vs impartation
When viewed as relationship: change
question of civic righteousness
Assigned Readings
- 6.8 Ambrose on unmerited character of salvation
can only say pater noster in Christ
- 6.10 Augustine on divine election
potter's authority over clay
- 6.11 Augustine on the nature of predestination
beyond our understanding why some not predestined
to life
- 6.15 Augustine on irresistable grace and perseverance
Jews and gentiles in one mass of sinners
- 6.26 Luther on the righteousness of God
"righteousness of God" by which God
rightwises
- 6.27 Luther on justifying faith
faith as uniting of soul with Christ
happy exchange : this is clearly not just imputation
- 6.28 Luther on sin and grace
1515-1516 lectures: simul iustus et peccator
- 6.29 Melanchthon on justification by faith
justification begun, but not completed
reward because of Father's promise
- 6.30 Calvin on predestination
salvation by grace dependent on election
predestination not to be subjected to foreknowledge
- 6.32 Calvin on justification
faith grounded in promises of God
- 6.40 Wesley on justification
justification as pardon and forgiveness
- Articles of Religion, nos. 11-15
- 11. Of the justification of man
- 12. Of good works
- 13. Of works before justification
- 14. Of works of supererogation
- 15. Of Christ alone without sin
- Joint
Declaration on Justification
past condemnations do not apply
Other suggested readings
Panel 15:
- 6.34 Beza on causes of predestination
- 6.36 Westminster Confession on predestination
- 6.42 Barth on election in Christ
- 6.43 Brunner on Barth's doctrine of election
Varied sources:
- Articles of Religion 17 (Of predestination and election)
- Perry, John F. "Newman's treatment of Luther in the
Lectures on justification." Journal of ecumenical
studies 36, no. 3-4 (1999): 303-17.
- Edwards, Henry. "Justification, sanctification and
the Eastern Orthodox concept of theosis." Consensus
14, no. 1 (1988): 65-80.
- Hägglund, Bengt. The background of Luther's doctrine
of justification in late medieval theology. Facet
books - Historical series, ed. Charles S. Anderson, 18.
Philadelphia: Fortress, 1971.
- Schönherr, Hartmut. "Concepts of salvation in
Christianity." Africa Theological Journal 12,
no. 3 (1983): 159-65.
- Stendahl, Krister. "The apostle Paul and the introspective
conscience of the west." Harvard Theological Review
56 (July, 1963): 199-215.
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The page last modified 1 November 2000