11 - Is There a ‘Reformation’ Doctrine of Justification?

Summary

The third part of this book deals with the emergence of Protestantism, and the various approaches to the question of justification that emerged within the various evangelical movements in the first three decades of the sixteenth century. Chapter 11 deals with the important question of whether there can be said to be a single or coherent ‘Reformation’ doctrine of justification. The chapter surveys the evidence, which suggests that a number of approaches to justification emerged within evangelical groups in early sixteenth-century Switzerland and Germany, with varying attitudes towards the perceived importance of the doctrine, and how it was to be framed. Initially, the concept of justification was not understood forensically, tending to be seen as primarily transformational. The chapter tracks the growing consensus across evangelical movements which led to consolidation of the view that justification by faith was of central importance, and that it was to be understood as a change in status rather than a change in nature. These points are addressed in greater detail in subsequent chapters.