Faith Alone

Faith Alone

Taught by Thomas R. Schreiner

The Five Solas Series offers you a look back to the five rallying cries of the Reformation—the five solas. In the Faith Alone course, scholar and author Thomas Schreiner explores the historical and biblical roots of the doctrine of justification by faith, seeking to apply this sola in a fresh way.

Course Details

  • 21 Units

  • Self-paced

  • 5 hours of video

  • Intermediate

  • Faith Alone

12 Month Access
$179.99 USD

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Course Description


Historians and theologians have long recognized that at the heart of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation were five declarations, often referred to as the "solas": sola scriptura, solus Christus, sola gratia, sola fide, and soli Deo gloria. These five statements summarize much of what the Reformation was about, and they distinguish Protestantism from other expressions of the Christian faith. Protestants place ultimate and final authority in the Scriptures, acknowledge the work of Christ alone as sufficient for redemption, recognize that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, and seek to do all things for God’s glory.

In the Faith Alone course, renowned biblical scholar Thomas Schreiner looks at the historical and biblical roots of the doctrine of justification. He summarizes the history of the doctrine, looking at the early church and the writings of several of the Reformers. Units will take you through examination of key texts in the Old and New Testaments and introduce you to some of the contemporary challenges to the Reformation teaching of sola fide. The Faith Alone course is accessible to a variety of audiences—college and seminary students, pastors, lay learners, and anyone interested in learning about the key doctrines of Christianity.

Five hundred years after the Reformation, the doctrine of justification by faith alone still needs to be understood and proclaimed. In the Faith Alone course, you will learn how the rallying cry of sola fide is rooted in the Scriptures and how to apply this sola in a fresh way in light of today’s contemporary challenges.

By completing this course, you’ll gain

  • Greater understanding of the doctrine of justification by faith alone and the history behind it
  • Insight into current challenges to the teachings of faith alone and why this doctrine matters to your faith today
  • A thorough overview of key people connected with the Reformation doctrines
  • Confidence in your growing knowledge through personalized review sessions and unit assessments

Meet Your Instructors

Thomas R. Schreiner

PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary

Thomas R. Schreiner is James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament and associate dean of Scripture and interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. The author of numerous books, he is the preaching pastor of Clifton Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

Course Outline

  • Sola Fide in the Early Church

  • Martin Luther on Justification by Faith Alone

  • John Calvin on Justification by Faith Alone

  • Sola Fide and the Council of Trent

  • Glimpses into Further Reformed Discussions on Sola Fide

  • The Status of Sola Fide

  • Human Sin

  • Faith Alone

  • Faith in Jesus Christ

  • The Importance of Justification in Paul

    MIDTERM EXAM



  • God’s Saving Righteousness

  • Righteousness Is Eschatological

  • Righteousness Is Forensic

  • The Righteousness of God

  • Imputation of Righteousness

  • The Role of Good Works in Justification

  • Sola Fide and the Roman Catholic Church

  • Frank Beckwith’s Return to Rome

  • N.T. Wright and the New Perspective on Paul

  • New Perspective on Paul

  • A Concluding Word

    FINAL EXAM


BibleMesh is now offering an integrated reading experience for our new book-based courses. As before, students will be guided through their reading with book excerpts embedded within the course. This allows for an improved reading experience within the course. Students will also be able to pop out the book reader into a full-screen, fully-featured web-based reading platform where they will be able to see the wider context of each excerpt and access the complete book.

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