Written by Richelle Thompson
James 2:14, 26 (NRSV) What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?…For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
Faith versus works. For centuries, this theological debate has stirred the passions of scholars and clerics. This argument was a driving principle behind the Reformation, with Martin Luther breaking from the long-held focus on works to an understanding of salvation first and foremost through belief in Jesus as savior and redeemer.
In the Anglican tradition, we are closer to Luther’s understanding. Yet works are essential to the practice of our faith. Striking a balance between faith and works is a difficult challenge. Many congregations pray and read scripture without acting on it—keeping their doors closed to the larger community. Other congregations become so consumed with works that they become social service organizations, unmoored from the deep truth of God’s word.
The argument of faith versus works is worthy of deep reflection. But when it comes to our daily life and practice, we must embrace both, practicing a living faith that spurs us to generous and grand works.
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