Luther’s Iustitia Dei: The Distinct Breakthrough

LIBERTY UNIVERISTY
LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

LUTHER’S IUSTITIA DEI:
THE DISTINCT BREAKTHROUGH

A PAPER
SUBMITTED TO DR. NIXON
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY II
CHHI 525 – B03

BY
DEREK WILDER

FISHERS, INDIANA
JUNE 12, 2011 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1 IUSTITIA DEI 1 LUTHER’S BREAK WITH THE VIA MODERNA 3 LUTHER’S BREAK WITH AUGUSTINE 5 ALTERNATIVE VIEWS 7 RITSCHL ON LUTHER 10 CONCLUSION 11

INTRODUCTION
The doctrine of justification is certainly one of the most influential concepts underlying the Protestant Reformation. Accordingly, the distinct breakthrough Luther experienced regarding iustitia Dei, the righteousness of God, within the context of the Protestant doctrine of justification has been a topic of significant debate. This paper will prove that Luther’s view of the nature of iustitia Dei culminates in an iustitia Christi aliena, which characterizes Luther’s distinct breakthrough.
The forthcoming study will provide a brief etymological introduction of iustitia Dei followed by an analysis of Luther’s break with the theology of his peers, the via moderna. The distinct nature of Luther’s breakthrough will then be revealed in his divergence with Augustine. An engaging exploration of potential traditional alternatives to Luther’s distinct breakthrough will be explored, and finally, a fascinating look into a possible non-traditional alternative embodied in Ritschlian theology will be investigated.

IUSTITIA DEI
Iustitia Dei is a Latin term defined as the justice or righteousness of God. However, the meaning is much less conspicuous than the definition conveys. In fact, Paul’s view of iustitia Dei continues to be debated with no definitive conclusions in sight. The meaning of iustitia Dei has altered through history as it has transitioned from Hebrew, Greek, and, finally, into the Latin language. However, it plays a crucial role in understanding Luther’s

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