Discussion Prompt: Spiritual Authority, Justification, and the Christian Life
Discuss the Reformational ideas of spiritual authority, justification, and the Christian life as they were developed and articulated by the Protestant reformers and post-Reformation theologians. Using the course reading and the video lecture material, evaluate and discuss the fundamental issues that caused a division between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism in the 16th century.
Using the selections from Martin Luther and the Westminster Confession of Faith, summarize the Protestant position on spiritual authority, justification, and the role of good works in the Christian life. Use specific quotations from the materials. Discuss any particular terms, distinctions, or quotations that seem particularly important and helpful to you.