Justification in Perspective : Historical Developments and Contemporary Challenges

by McCormack, Bruce L., ed.

• ISBN13: 9780801031311
• ISBN10: 0801031311
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-10-01
• Publisher: Baker Academic

Summary

The last thirty years have seen much scholarly debate surrounding the Protestant doctrine of justification. These discussions have especially been fueled by the development of the "New Perspective on Paul," which goes against the traditional understanding of first-century Judaism as a legalistic and works-based system and so changes our understanding of Paul's writings on justification in the New Testament. This major work presents a historical survey of the doctrine's development from the early church through the Reformation and on to today. Contributors include Henri Blocher, Tony Lane, Bruce McCormack, Carl Trueman, David Wright, and N. T. Wright. Though these distinguished authors have different perspectives, they approach the topic graciously, making for a constructive dialogue that will help pastors, students, and interested laypersons wrestle with this important theological issue.

Author Biography

Bruce L. McCormack (Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary; Dr. theol. h.c., Friedrich Schiller University) is the Frederick and Margaret L. Weyerhaeuser Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. A world-renowned Barth scholar, he is a frequent writer and lecturer on topics of Reformed theology.

Table of Contents

Preface
Bruce L. McCormack	7	(4)
Abbreviations	11	(4)
Part 1 The Protestant Doctrine of Justification: The Heart of Protestant Preaching
1 Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference Sermon
Mark Bonnington	15	(10)
Part 2 The Protestant Doctrine of Justification: Its Antecedents and Historical Development
2 Justification in the Early Church Fathers
Nick Needham	25	(30)
3 Justification in Augustine
David F. Wright	55	(18)
4 Simul peccator et justus: Martin Luther and Justification
Carl Trueman	73	(26)
5 Calvin's Doctrine of Justification: Variations on a Lutheran Theme
Karla Wübbenhorst	99	(20)
6 A Tale of Two Imperial Cities: Justification at Regensburg (1541) and Trent (1546-1547)
Anthony N.S. Lane	119	(28)
7 Justification and the ordo salutis
A.T.B. McGowan	147	(20)
Part 3 The Protestant Doctrine of Justification: Continuities and Discontinuities in Current Challenges to the Traditional View
8 Justitia aliena: Karl Barth in Conversation with the Evangelical Doctrine of Imputed Righteousness
Bruce L. McCormack	167	(30)
9 The Lutheran-Catholic Declaration on Justification
Henri A. Blocher	197	(22)
10 The Doctrine of Justification in Paul and Beyond: Some Proposals
Simon Gathercole	219	(24)
11 New Perspectives on Paul
N.T. Wright	243	(22)
List of Contributors	265	(2)
Scripture Index	267	(2)
Subject Index	269