| A study of the three major Reformation doctrines, sola Scriptura, sola fide and sola gratia, found in the writings of pre-Reformation churchmen and women. The writers include the Church Fathers, medieval and Renaissance churchmen and women, and the dominant Reformers, Martin Luther and John Calvin. The study demonstrates that the Catholic Church has, at times, arbitrarily excommunicated individuals without doctrinal warrant. The subject matter proves pertinent for modern times in light of Catholic and Protestant efforts to re-examine aspects of Christian history, reconcile doctrinal differences, and exonerate certain individuals previously excommunicated by the Catholic Church. Statements made by Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT), the joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ) and Pope John Paul II are extensively examined. |
