Offer a critical analysis of the relationship between faith, works and justification in Luther’s Concerning Christian Liberty.

Offer a critical analysis of the relationship between faith, works and justification in Luther’s Concerning Christian Liberty.

Introduction- 300 words

• ·             Martin Luther’s life, and his significance in the Reformation and its theology. Mention Luther’s importance and the influence of his works, mention the importance of Concerning the Christian Liberty in understanding Luther’s theology. 
• ·             Martin Luther’s life in the path of Augustine, and Augustine’s influence on Luther.
• ·             Present the central argument of the essay focusing on the interrelationship between faith, works, and justification in Luther’s work.
• ·             Briefly outline the primary sections of the essay.
• ·             The role of his 95 theses in theology, and brief explanation the message of the 95 theses. 
• ·             Very brief reason as to why concerning Christian liberty was written, and the parts 1, 2 and 3.

Historical context-300 words

• ·             Martin Luther’s era, and the reformation.
• ·             Augustine’s influence on Luther, and correlation of their ideas.
• ·             The reason Luther wrote his works and published it and talk about the critique of the corruption of the Catholic Church (penance and indulgence). 
• ·             Importance of faith, justification and salvation for Luther, and the corrupt and complex system of Catholic church for the faith in the process of salvation, by selling indulgences. 

Argument points-1800 words- CRITICALLY ANAYLSE EVERY ARGUMENT AND REFERENCE/QUOTATION

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·             Faith as the foundation of justification (“Faith alone is the saving and efficacious use of the word of God” critically analyse this quote about faith and other quotes that relate to justification, works and faith).  

·             Critically analyse the doctrine of Luther that justification by faith alone, discussion on believers who are justified before God with faith alone (“soul needs only the word of God for its life and righteousness, so it is justified by faith alone and not any works”, Luther’s central thesis is about justification by faith alone, independent of works).

·             Talk about the role of faith in establishing a relationship with God and his grace considering what Luther has said in Concerning the Christian Liberty. Analyse why faith is important and always use quotations from Concerning the Christian Liberty to support the points made. 

·             Critically analyse the quote “faith is a living, unshakable confidence in God’s grace”.

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·             Faith and good works. Use the quote “good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works” (part 3, page 14) and critically analyse what it has meant here.

·             Justification and good works. Works does not achieve justification. Talk about why this contrasts with the Catholic doctrine. (critically analyse the quote “therefore, it is impossible that works should justify us, since they are the works of the flesh, and the flesh cannot be justified”).

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·             Critically analyse the quotes about faith and fulfilling the law (gospel and promises of God).

·             Righteousness, faith, justification, and good works.

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·             Critically analyse why lack of faith is unbelief, and why unbelief is the greater sin of all (use readings to support the points made).

·             Importance of faith in other concepts like the Christian liberty, salvation, prayer, the inward man (soul) and outward man (body), also freedom (“a Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none”, emphasises the believers freedom through faith and justification). 

·             Talk about how freedom is connected to faith and critically analyse the dichotomy of the quotes “a Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none”, and : a Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all”.

·             Love and service, talk about the neighbourly love and service and quote from Luther Concerning the Christian Liberty, and critically analyse the quotation “faith is not enough. We need love. For faith alone does not save; we must have faith working through love”.

Conclusion-300 words

• ·             Summarise and critically evaluate the points made on faith, justification, and good works, and use how these have impacted the Protestant theology.
• ·             The significance of the relationship between faith, works and justification in Luther’s theology and how it has changed the world we live in the contemporary and modern world, explain how Luther’s theology helped change state power, e.g. meritocracy.  Talk about the ongoing relevance of Luther’s insights for faith and practice today.
• ·             Briefly talk about how Luther’s theology correlates to Augustine’s theology. 

REFERENCE QUOTATIONS FROM THE CONCERNING OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY, HAVE GREAT PUNCTUATION AND GRAMMAR, READ THE ATTACHED FILES AND USE THEM TO SUPPORT THE ARGUMENTS MADE, USE FOOTNOTES, AND CRITICALLY ANALYSE.