FAITH ALONE
The Doctrine of Justification
What the Reformers Taught…
and Why It Still Matters
By Tom Schreiner
Zondervan. 288 pages. £12.99
ISBN 978 0 310 515 784
Next year, of course, will be the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation marked from the date that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg.
There is already much pressure to play down the differences which emerged through that blessed crisis between those who clung to Catholic Church tradition and those who rediscovered the biblical gospel. With this in mind, Zondervan is in process of publishing five books expounding the five to watchwords of the Reformation: Glory God Alone; Scripture Alone; Faith Alone; Grace Alone and Christ Alone. That we get right with God through faith alone and not by works is the heart of what makes the gospel good news to sinners.
Three tours
Every one of these affirmations is vital to the cause of the gospel and this volume by Professor Tom Schreiner of Southern Baptist Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky is a pleasure to read. The book is divided into three parts. First, the author gives the reader a historical tour of the subject, introducing us to the writings of folk like Luther, Calvin and Francis Turretin and what the Council of Trent said in response. Secondly, he guides us on a biblical and theological tour of faith alone. Here is the most exciting part of the book, with some extremely stimulating and delicious exegesis of key New Testament texts. In particular the aberrations of Tom Wright and Robert Gundry are set out fairly and honestly answered in a most satisfying way. There is an awful lot of excellent help here for busy pastors who would like to refresh their congregation’s understanding of the foundations of Reformed evangelicalism from the pages of the Bible.
Challenges
The third and final tour we embark upon with Schreiner is a good look at the contemporary challenges to the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Here, among other things, is a consideration of the most recent Catholic Catechism, the influential document ‘Evangelicals & Catholics Together’, which appeared in the 1990s, and a subsequent clarification entitled ‘The Gift of Salvation’ both of the latter with which unfortunately J. I. Packer was associated. Schreiner’s analysis is measured and fair, but ultimately has to conclude that these publications were theologically fuzzy and ambiguous and betrayed the heart of the gospel.
New Perspective
Also in this final section of the book Schreiner returns to the writings of N. T. Wright on justification and takes a long hard look at The New Perspective on Paul, exposing both its helpful insights and its devastating mistakes.
False dichotomies
Here is Schreiner’s summary of Wright’s mis-steps, which he later analyses more fully: ‘Wright tends to introduce false dichotomies, presently an either/or when there is both – and instead… he at times puts the emphasis in the wrong place, seeing the secondary as primary and the primary as secondary. I see three false polarities in Wright’s thought.
First he wrongly says that justification is primarily about ecclesiology instead of soteriology.
Second, he often introduces a false polarity when referring to the mission of Israel by saying that Israel’s fundamental problem was its failure to bless the world whereas Paul focuses on Israel’s inherent sinfulness.
Third, he insists that justification is a declaration of God’s righteousness but does not include the imputation of God’s righteousness.’
Luther said that the doctrine of justification by faith alone determines whether the church will stand or fall. This book will help us to stand and to stand with integrity.
