Five Solas

From Theopedia

The Five Solas are five Latin phrases (or slogans) that emerged during the Protestant Reformation and summarize the Reformers' basic beliefs and emphasis in contradistinction to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church of the day. "Sola" means "alone".

Multimedia Michael Ross Series (MP3s) Sola Scriptura: The Scripture Alone - Part 1, Part 2 Sola Fide: Faith Alone - Part 1, Part 2 Solus Christus Soli Deo Gloria Sola Gratia: Grace Alone

Contents 1 Michael Ross Series (MP3s) 2 Faith alone (Sola Fide) 3 Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura) 4 Christ alone (Solus Christus) 5 Grace alone (Sola Gratia) 6 Glory to God alone (Soli Deo Gloria) 7 See also 8 External links

Faith alone (Sola Fide)

Justification (that is, becoming right before God) comes through faith only, not good works, though in the classical protestant scheme, saving faith will always be accompanied by good works. This doctrine can be summarized with the formula "Faith yields justification and good works" and is contrasted with the Catholic formula "Faith and good works yield justification." This doctrine is sometimes called the material cause of the Reformation because it was the central doctrinal issue for Martin Luther.

See main article: Faith alone

Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura)

The Bible is the only inspired and authoritative Word of God and is accessible to all (that is, perspicuous and self-interpreting). This doctrine is directly opposed to the teaching of the Catholic Church that Scripture can only be authentically interpreted through Holy Apostolic Tradition by the Magisterium (that is, the Pope and bishops at church councils). This doctrine is sometimes called the formal cause of the Reformation because it was the underlying cause of disagreement over sola fide.

See main article: Scripture alone

Christ alone (Solus Christus)

Christ is the exclusive mediator between God and man. Neither Mary, the saints, nor priests (other than Christ himself) can act as mediator in bringing salvation. This doctrine is contrasted with the Catholic doctrines of the intercession of saints and of the function of priests.

See main article: Christ alone

Grace alone (Sola Gratia)

See main article: Grace alone

Salvation comes by grace only, not through any merit on the part of the sinner. Thus salvation is an unearned gift. This doctrine is a response to the Catholic doctrine of merit.

Glory to God alone (Soli Deo Gloria)

All the glory is due to God alone, since he did all the work — not only the atonement on the Cross, but even granting the faith which allows men to be saved by that atonement. The Reformers believed that human beings (such as the Catholic saints and popes) and their organizations (the Church) were not worthy of the glory that was bestowed on them.

See main article: Glory to God alone

See also

• The Cambridge Declaration of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals

External links

• The Five Solas of the Reformation, by Gregg Strawbridge
• The Five Solas: The Doctrines That Defined the Reformation (PDF), by Steven J. Lawson
• Reformation Essentials - Five Pillars of the Reformation, by Michael Horton
• Monergism Five Solas Category Page