Give a response about Race and Religion book, philosophy homework help
Give a response about Race and Religion book, one page. read sample
Sample Reading Response
In the Freedom of a Christian, Martin Luther makes some seemingly inconsistent moves regarding the relationship between faith and works in the Christian life. I found them troublesome because, in trying to establish the role of faith—that one with faith is saved by God’s grace—he tries to establish this as sufficient for salvation—we ought only seek to rest in god’s grace and seek to please God. Later in the piece, however, he says Christians should not to reject good works; rather, Christians ought to cherish and teach good works: “good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works” (69). Soon after, though, Luther contends, “[a] Christian has no need of any work or any law to be saved” (70). The question, then, is why ought we to engage in works at all? Why ought we to show love for our neighbor? If sitting in silent, faithful prayer, wholly fixated on showing one’s love to God, knowing that in this act God’s grace will grant salvation, why should one exhibit “outward” acts of love? The Christian, Luther later states, “cannot ever be idle and without works towards his neighbors, for he will necessarily speak, deal with, and exchange views with men” (73). Does it follow from this contention that the very nature of Christian life—a life knowing only faith and grace will grant salvation—will lead one to act with reference to Christ’s example to help one’s neighbor? It seems to me that Luther is suggesting the following things in this text: (1) faith in God is the primary obligation of the Christian life; (2) a life of faith leads to good character (or as good a character as one marked with original sin can lead, hence the need for God’s grace); and (3) the nature of (Christian) life brings one into contact with others and, following Christ’s examples, a Christian is to help the neighbor.
