20260714 Self Intro

13,053 views Streamed live on Jul 14, 2026 CENTRE PLACE

Are people saved by faith alone, or are works also necessary? The “faith” vs. “works” debate became central to the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther and other reformers quoted Paul to argue that salvation comes by grace through faith and is not the result of people’s own works, while others quoted James’ claim that works are needed for salvation. What exactly did Paul and James mean by “faith” and “works”? Why were these seemingly contradictory statements both included in the New Testament? Luther pointed to Paul’s claim that “by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). But Luther’s opponents regularly quoted the Epistle of James which seems to make a direct counterargument: “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (2:17), causing Luther to consider removing the Epistle of James from the canon. Traditionally understood to have been composed by Jesus’ brother James the Just, most scholars today believe it is pseudonymous but nevertheless reflects the perspective of the community James led. John Hamer of Toronto Centre Place will examine and outline this interesting text to see what it tells us about early Christianity and the questions of “Faith” and “Works.” Join the livestream to participate in the discussion and to ask questions of our lecturer during the Q&A. This lecture is part of our series exploring Christianity and the Bible from an academic perspective through history, mythology, archaeology, theology, and biblical studies. 📚 Browse our catalogue of free lectures at https://www.centreplace.ca/lectures Your generous support allows us to offer these lectures at no cost. Please consider making a donation (tax deductible in the US and Canada): ❤️ https://www.centreplace.ca/donate ️