PRECIS OF IDEAS OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION

Luther’s passage to revolt (psychological, existential): his suffering from a sense of his own unworthiness; Romans scandal in the Church.

 

 

Man and God: God’s absolute sovereignty; "total depravity" of mankind; the enormous gulf between man and God.

 

 

 

Salvation: faith precedes decision (faith is a free gift from Christ; free will has nothing to do with it); predestination, single and double; how do good works fit into the picture ("faith not without works")? Which "works" does Luther reject?

 

 

 

 

How do we know God, His plan? Through Jesus Christ as revealed in scripture ("scriptura sola"); Luther’s and Calving s approaches for interpreting scripture; what do Luther and Calvin think about Tradition?

 

 

 

 

The Reformers’ understanding of Church scripture over the Church; "priesthood of all believers"; the superiority of preaching (the word); apostolic succession as the sign of the Church? The sacraments are deemphasized (tendency toward psychological interpretation, personal awareness); the Eucharist.

 

 

 

Does the Reformation constitute a religious revolution?