Chalke Talk 75: Saved by faith alone: A doctrine of straw?

“Most informed Christians know that Luther had a problem with the New Testament book written by James. He called it an ‘epistle of straw’ and campaigned to have it removed from the Bible.” And it’s exactly why, a glossed over but important fact, that brings Steve to this week’s episode of Chalke Talk.

James message didn’t work with Luther’s argument, which is that salvation is based on faith alone, and as such had him silenced. But as Steve puts it, “If the main foundation of Protestant belief is built on a doctrine – an assumption – that doesn’t fit with the text of at least one of the books of the New Testament is that doctrine correct, or is it mistaken?”

Steve goes on to argue that Luther’s tactics are not uncommon from some contemporary church leaders. “Boundary markers are alive and well in the twenty-first century.”

So. What question do YOU think this raises for the church in our society?