Courses

Instructor: Joel Otto

Description:
In the Smalcald Articles, Martin Luther wrote, “On this article [of justification] stands all that we teach and practice against the pope, the devil, and the world” (SA Part II, Art. I:3). The question of one’s right standing before God was the question that drove Luther into the monastery and, eventually, the Scriptures. It was the quintessential question for the medieval Christian who faced death on a regular basis.

The doctrine of justification by faith alone proved to be the hallmark doctrine of the Lutheran Reformation because it is the beating heart of the Christian gospel. It continues to be at the center of what is believed, taught, and confessed by confessional Lutherans. This course, one of the core courses for those pursuing an STM in the Church History focus area, will trace the corruption of the doctrine of justification by faith alone during the centuries after Augustine, show from the writings of the Reformers, especially Luther, how this doctrine was once again clearly confessed, and explore how some of the post-Reformation theologians taught this doctrine. God willing, students will be reinvigorated in their appreciation for the heart of confessional Lutheranism.

Area of Study: Church History
Tuition: $800
Course Number: CH5156
Course Credits: 2.0