Noting the call for religious harmony, freedom of religious expressions and respect for each other’s differences, we should, first of all, know what each one stands for. At the very least, we should know what we ourselves believe, so that we know where to draw the line. This is also true for Christendom, which encompasses Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism.
Just over 500 years ago, the Protestant Reformation began. With the passage of time, many groups, denominations, non-denominations and anti-denominations find themselves conveniently sheltered under the big Protestant umbrella. How closely are we aligned to what the Reformation seeks to achieve?
It is helpful to note the theological principles underpinning the Reformation. Refreshing ourselves with the five rallying calls of those days serve as broad guideposts for us to know who we are, as we journey through the maze of all that are identified as ‘Christian’.
1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) – 2 Tim 3:16,17; 2 Pe 1:20,21 2. Sola Fide (Faith Alone) – Eph 2:8-10; Rom 1:17 3. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) – Tit 3:5 4. Solus Christus (Christ Alone) – 1Tim 2:5 5. Soli Deo Goria (Glory to God alone) – 1Cor 10:13
In essence, these rallying calls are core tenets of Protestantism. Putting them together, we say that our salvation is solely attributed to the grace of God, obtained through faith in Christ alone, rooted wholly on Scripture and all for the glory of God.
While we should be mindful that living in a world of religious pluralism necessitates that we be sensitive and respectful to those who think differently, we ourselves need to ‘contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.’ (Jude 1:3)
Richard Lai
