Dr. Witt on Justification by Faith

William Witt, who blogs at Non Sermoni Res, has written a new article entitled “Anglican Reflections on Justification by Faith.” In it he addresses these seven questions:

1) Is justification by faith a legal fiction? That is, does justification simply leave me as I was before, a totally depraved sinner, but now a sinner whose sin God now overlooks?

2) But doesn’t simul iustus et peccator confirm Catholic suspicions about Luther’s theology of justification?

3) Does justification by faith reflect Nominalist influence on Luther’s theology?

4) What about the radical Lutheran position, and, especially the Law/Gospel hermeneutic?

5) What about the Pietist and liberal Protestant understandings of justification by faith?

6) What about the Lutheran and Roman Catholic agreements on justification by faith?

7) What about the New Perspective on Paul? Does it undermine the Reformation position? Does it change everything?

Comments should be directed to Dr. Witt’s blog.

Posted by John

Basil of Caesarea on the Unity of the Godhead

Posted by John

A rough translation from Homily 24.3f (“Against the Sabellians, and Arius, and the Anomoeans”)

The battle fought against us from both sides is such, but what is the truth? Don’t fear the confession of the persons, but say Father, and say Son also; and don’t give two names to one thing, but from the naming of each learn the proper signification. For it is terrible arrogance not to receive the teachings of the Lord, who clearly distinguishes for us the difference of the persons. He says, “For if I go away, I will ask the Father, and he will send you another Comforter.” So then, the one who asks is the Son, and the one asked is the Father, and the one sent the Comforter. Are you not manifestly shameless then, you who hear “I” about the Son, “he” about the Father, and “another” about the Holy Spirit, but who blend everything, and mix everything up, and ascribe all the names to one thing?

Christo-Centricity Quote 2

By Isaac

Here is another small quote I picked up in my studies of Ignatius. This one is by a theologian named Raymond Johanny and is found in his essay on Ignatius and the Eucharist which can be found in the Book “The Eucharist of the Early Christians.”

“Ignatius’ thinking is eminently Christological; he sees all aspects of the Christian life as forming an interlocking whole, so that if one denies any aspect of the mystery of Christ, one will ultimately be led to a denial of the reality of Christ himself in his fullness. “

This would explain why the early church fought against heresy so fervently. The heretics ultimately represent a road that would result in denying the historical and real person of Jesus Christ in all the fullness of the mystery of His revelation. To deny his full humanity, or his full deity; to speak perversely about his eternal relationship as the Son to the Father; to reject his sufficiency and supremacy was seen by the Apostles and the early church as a poison that would seep into the church and begin to corrupt its very heart.

And one more quote from the same book:

“There can be no doubt that in Ignatius’ mind his desire for martydom is the logical result of a movement toward God, a thirst for God, that urges him to perfect imitation of and identification with Christ. Martydom is simply the imitation of Christ in his passion and sacrifice.”

Solus Christus

Christo-Centricity

By Isaac

One of the fundamental consistencies one finds when looking to the Apostles, the Fathers and Martyrs, the Saints of all ages, and the Reformers, is a radical Christo-centricity. In fact, it could be argued that whenever reform, renewal, or repentance has taken place under the provocation and guidance of the Spirit,  it has been nothing less but a returning to a Christo-centricity that had been strayed from.

Thus, whatever Reformed Catholicism is, it must always see itself in the light of this radical Way. All things must be brought under the subjection of Christ: every word, thought, deed, action, man, and institution–everything must answer to Christ. 

An Augustinian understanding of Grace in Psalm 29

posted by Isaac

Psalm 29 paints an amazing picture of God’s glory and majesty being revealed in a storm. David, the Psalmist, begins the Psalm by crying out to the angels: “Attribute to the Lord glory and strength!” Glory and strength belong to God. A similar exclamation to Peter’s: “To him be power and glory forever and ever (1 Peter 4:11).”

After this exclamation and call to worship, David begins to detail God’s power and ability revealed in a mighty storm. The imagery is so vivid it is not difficult to postulate that David had been brought to poetic creation by witnessing a great storm and being drawn to see God’s hand at work in a visbily mighty way. Anyone who has ever gazed in theological awe at the creation’s movements will have experienced this adulation.

I recall two particular times I can identify with this. 

10-31-1517

Here We Stand.

by Frank G. Ramirez

In my own historical-theological studies over the past 11 years as a catholic, I have discerned four kinds of catholicism in the West. There is papal catholicism, which is the most widely known (a.k.a., Roman Catholicism). There is a “catholicism without a pope,” which is manifested by certain Anglo-Catholics (or Anglo-papists, as my bishop once described them to me) and the Anglo-Lutheran Church. There is also anti-catholicism or ”no catholicism.” Granted this last one isn’t actually a form of catholicism, but I include it because its anti-catholicism is so strong and passionate that it actually is a part of its identity. The fourth kind of Western catholicism is that of reformed catholicism, which is manifested in the Catholic Reformation of the 16th century and its descendents.