The enduring relevance of the Reformation

Today marks the 507th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation didn’t have a formal beginning that was recognized in the moment. However, it certainly had a symbolic beginning. When Martin Luther nailed the “Ninety-Five Theses” to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on Oct. 31, 1517, he had no idea his critique of indulgences would lead to the reshaping of Christianity in the West. The rest, as they say, is history.

Some might question whether the Reformation still matters in 2024. Since Vatican II and the charismatic movements of the 1960s, millions of Roman Catholics claim a personal conversion experience and emphasize individual Bible study. It isn’t uncommon to meet Christians who refer to themselves as “evangelical” or “born-again” Catholics. For our part, many evangelicals have a greater appreciation for the rootedness found in the Great Tradition of Christian orthodoxy. There is also a growing willingness among evangelicals to learn from pre-Reformation Christianity (especially the Patristic era) than was the case even a generation ago. It isn’t uncommon to meet evangelicals who love liturgy in public worship, follow the Christian calendar, and value the great creeds of the early Church.

Socially conservative evangelicals and Catholics also work together frequently to promote the sanctity of human life, a Biblical understanding of sex and marriage, and religious liberty for all people. Evangelicals and Catholics have learned from each other’s respective social-ethical traditions, and we’ve labored alongside each other as conservative cobelligerents in a society increasingly hostile toward our values and much of its own history. We are allies in preserving what Russell Kirk called the “permanent things” in an amnesiac nation committed to disordered notions of liberty.

There is much for evangelicals to appreciate about these trends and trajectories. We should always remember that God’s kingdom is bigger than our denominational traditions, and the universal Church includes all the redeemed of all the ages regardless of their ecclesial homes during their earthly lives. Nevertheless, though our context may differ from that of Luther or Thomas Cranmer or John Calvin, significant disagreements remain between evangelicals and Catholics.

When historians talk about the theological debates of the 16th century, we often make a distinction between the Reformation’s “formal principle” and the “material principle.” The formal principle is Biblical authority. The material principle is justification by faith alone. Despite the many ways that evangelicals and Catholics have moved closer together, we remain divided on these foundational beliefs.

Following the Reformers, evangelicals affirm sola scriptura, the belief that Scripture alone is our ultimate authority for faith and practice. Protestant confessions and catechisms affirm that the Bible is inspired, authoritative, trustworthy, and sufficient. Scripture is God’s written words for humanity, and it alone is the supreme standard by which all traditions are judged true or false. Many evangelicals appreciate the Great Tradition of orthodox doctrine and ethics. However, tradition is of secondary authority, and as such, it remains subject to the final authority of Scripture. This remains a major divide between evangelicals and Roman Catholics.

Evangelicals also follow the Reformers in confessing sola gratia and sola fide. Sinners are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. When we believe, the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. Justification and sanctification are different but complementary aspects of salvation. Good works are one line of evidence that a believer is justified, but good works don’t contribute in any way to our justification. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

Conservative Catholics agree the Bible is inspired, authoritative, and trustworthy. However, they also believe Scripture and tradition are both authoritative, mutually reinforcing one another. They thus deny the sufficiency of Scripture. Catholics also believe the Apocrypha should be included in the Biblical canon, a view rejected by nearly all evangelicals. Evangelicals and Catholics differ on the nature of Scripture.

Catholics agree that justification is by faith, but they also deny that faith alone justifies sinners. Instead, sinners are justified by a combination of faith and the good works that accompany that faith, thereby collapsing sanctification into justification. Catholics also continue to affirm the validity of indulgences and the existence of purgatory, two beliefs that are difficult to reconcile with justification by grace alone through faith alone. Evangelicals and Catholics differ on the nature of salvation.

Evangelicals and Catholics also disagree in other matters, but the doctrines of Scripture and salvation are the most significant differences. Notably, these doctrines were also the key points of debate during the Reformation. Evangelicals should rejoice in renewal movements among Catholics and appreciate opportunities to work together to promote authentic human flourishing in a decadent society. But the Reformation will continue to remain relevant as long as evangelicals and Catholics continue to disagree on the most important matters of faith and practice. Reformation Day on the Protestant calendar is a good time to remember this truth.