Good Morning Father,

I have been following the Catholic-Lutheran Agreement. Reported in the BC Catholic newspaper is the statement that justification and salvation is by faith alone.

My understanding of the Catholic Doctrine is that justification and salvation is by faith and good works. Wasn't this the teaching of the Council of Trent? Is this not de fide? Has Luther won?

I would appreciate some clarification on this.

Yours in Christ,

Tim Cathcart

**********

Dear Tim,

Thank you for the question. Do you receive The Rock? James Akin has an excellent article entitled "Justification, Setting the Record Straight."

The classic Catholic doctrine was expressed by St. Augustine. He spent much of his life combatting the error of an English monk named Pelagius who taught that we capable on our own of following Christ teaching. Augustine countered that we are totally dependent on God's grace for any good action, even the desire to do good depends on the action of the Holy Spirit in us. A couple of early Church councils eventually condemned Pelagianism, even in a modified form called semi-Pelagianism and embraced Augustine's view. It is important to note here that Augustine also vigorously argued for man's freedom of will, something that Martin Luther seemed to deny.

What has the past four centuries of controversy been about? Akin's article concisely outlines the issues involved. I personally like C.S. Lewis approach. He quotes Philippians 2:12-13: