Albeit that Good Works, which are fruits of Faith, and follow after Justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God’s judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively Faith; insomuch that by them a lively Faith may be evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit.
by the Rev. Jennifer M. Owen
Article XII is the first of three in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion that address works and also expresses particular characteristics of the English Reformation. The context of these articles on good works require the preceding Article XI which states the key doctrinal claim of the Reformation – justification by faith.
Faith and Works and the English Reformation: Thomas Cranmer’s “Lively Faith”
As much as 16th century reformers were keen to articulate a doctrine of grace, they could not avoid questions that arose about what was to be said about the role of Good Works theologically, pastorally and practically. Article XX of the Augsburg Confession of 1530 jumps immediately into the fray disputing charges of promoting what might today considered “cheap grace.” The first line states: “Our teachers are falsely accused of forbidding good works.” This article goes on to articulate that while good works are not forbidden, they are certainly not the source of one’s salvation to be worked out on one’s own individually or based on merit. Rather than promoting a “doctrine of works” the Augsburg Confession concludes Article XX by stating that it is only through faith that good works are possible.
English Reformer and Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer had a unique approach to discussing the role of good works and it is summarized here in Article XII of the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. Article XII makes key statements with regard to Works in general before getting to some particulars in following two articles (XIII and XIV). First, similar to the Augsburg Confession, Article XII affirms that good works are “pleasing and acceptable to God”. Following this, however, the origin of these good works is noted as springing out “of a true and lively faith,” which is evident “as a tree is discerned by the fruit.”
It is important to note that Article XII was not part of the original Forty-Two Articles in 1553. Rather it was added to the revised Thirty-Nine Articles after Cranmer’s death and during Elizabeth I’s reign by Archbishop Matthew Parker and Bishop Edmond Guest. It is fair to say, however, that this Article distills Cranmer’s writings on the necessity of works for salvation in relationship to one’s faith.
In 1547, a collection of twelve homilies (mostly) written by Cranmer was published for use in the (reformed) Church of England during the reign of Edward VI (1547-1553). As the Church of England underwent significant systematic Protestant reform under Edward VI after breaking from the Roman Church in 1533/1534 during Henry VIII’s reign, these homilies were intended to serve a number of purposes including theological and ecclesiastical renewal, improving literacy, and religious education. It is in this collection of homilies that we hear how Cranmer articulated a middle way between a doctrine of grace and a doctrine of works.
The homily titled “A Short Declaration of the True, Lively, and Christian Faith” is where Cranmer writes that there are two kinds of faith found in scripture: “dead faith” and “lively faith.” Dead faith “is idle, barren and unfruitful.”[1] A dead faith, according to Cranmer, is one that professes belief in and even fear of God, without any outward expression of goodness. Even though he is not clear about scriptural examples of those with dead faith, Cranmer does point to contemporary examples in his sermon. For instance, he makes it clear that outward ritual and religious gestures are not evidence of lively faith. Cranmer is not condemning these religious practices in and of themselves, but claims they are not works of faith if the way a man lives his life is somehow contradictory to the faith he proclaims with his mouth and exhibits in church.
A great deal of Cranmer’s discussion of dead vs. lively faith depends upon his reading the of First Letter of John and the Letter of James. On the one hand, he relies upon 1 John’s articulation that one’s knowledge of God is made evident in the observation of God’s commandments (1 John 2:3-4). On the other hand, Cranmer looks to the Letter of James to define dead faith: “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.” (James 2:26)
Cranmer’s reading of James and Paul reveals a life inspired by faith that manifests in good works and charity. In introducing his discussion of “lively faith” in this homily, Cranmer starts pointing to Paul’s Letter to the Galatians declaring that faith “worketh by charity,”[2] referring specifically to when Paul states, “the only thing that counts is faith working through love.” (Galations 5:6, NRSV). Cranmer equates what Paul says with what James says about faith – that the only true faith is a faith that manifests itself in works of love and charity. Augustine, along with other early Church theologians did not see Paul and James as opposed to each other (as Martin Luther so famously did). Augustine believed not only that Paul and James instruct us on works of faith, but that Jesus himself instructed his disciples to keep the commandments.”[3]
As influenced as Cranmer was by Luther, this is also where Cranmer departs from him and stays closer to Augustine’s and other early Church readings of scripture, which Cranmer also mentions in his sermons. For example, he quotes Augustine saying, “Good living cannot be separated from true faith, which worketh by love.”[4] Additionally he quotes Chrysostom saying, “Faith of itself is full of good works: as soon as a man doth believe, he shall be garnished with them.”[5] It is important to note the significance of Cranmer’s dependence upon early church readings of scripture to advance his argument. As many Protestant reformers argued against certain doctrines of the church in Rome, they were especially concerned to root their assertions not only being in scripture but also in the practices and doctrines of the early church. Cranmer, along with other reformers, insisted that their reforms were not doing anything new or starting a new church. Rather they were advocating what they believed was a return to a purer faith more fully in line with scripture and the early church.
Cranmer’s “Declaration” of lively faith in this homily is primarily intended to exhort people toward holiness and godliness in their everyday lives. In preaching on James 2:18, he proclaims, “Shew me thy faith by thy deeds. Thy deeds and works must be an open testimonial of thy faith.”[6] Cranmer goes on to encourage people to try their faith in their living and to observe the fruits of it. A life lived in charity and love is one in which a person can continually rejoice.[7] Thus, Cranmer, as well as James, is not claiming that works alone are necessary for salvation. In fact, earlier in this homily Cranmer maintains that no works or deeds can be considered good before God prior to or without faith.[8] Cranmer reads James as asserting that true and lively faith leads to a transformation of life that cannot help but manifest itself outwardly in good deeds and works.
A next logical question is what sort of works and deeds of faith is Cranmer urging his listeners toward? Even though he does not condemn worship and outward rituals of faith in and of themselves, he is clear that this is not enough. Deeds of faith must manifest in all parts of a person’s life. Anything less is considered “dead faith,” wickedness and hypocrisy. Cranmer’s fifth sermon in this collection is “A Sermon of Good Works Annexed unto Faith.” In this sermon he launches into the question of where to look for the works that emerge from faith and his answer is to look to the “Saviour Christ.”[9] He claims that it is in the life and teachings of Jesus that one can be guided into a lively faith. Cranmer specifically points to Jesus’ instructions to follow the commandments.
In many ways, Cranmer is trying to do what so many preachers attempt from the pulpit, which is to help connect the word of God and what we believe about God to our day to day lives. If there were a chicken and egg argument about faith vs. works, Protestant reformers are on the same page insisting that works emerge from what we believe about God. However, Cranmer points to the importance of finding the way of following Jesus by following the commandments.
Regardless, Cranmer’s discussion of lively vs. dead faith gets problematic as well. Those sitting in the pews seeking the Christian life are eager in every generation to know what that looks like in their own context. But Cranmer’s take, sounds like it could get judgmental rather quickly regarding the quality of one’s faith. His exhortation to a lively faith is only helpful to the extent that it helps Christians recognize that in Christ we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live out our faith in meaningful and powerful ways.
Good fruit
Article XII and delving into Reformation doctrines on faith and works remain helpful reminders of our dependence upon God alone. In a culture today that is saturated with DIY projects and self-help books, it is easy to forget that we rely upon the grace of God and that grace working through others to live out our baptismal covenant. In some ways, this Article, asserting that a good works springs out of a true and lively faith is articulated in our responses to our baptismal promises: “I will, with God’s help.” On our own, a lively faith and living our faith is simply not possible.
This is articulated especially well in the 12th Step professed by recovery communities that states that it is only after having experienced spiritual transformation that it is possible to turn around and be of service to others and be a guide to them on their road to sobriety. Famously sober writer Anne Lamott says this in her 2012 book on prayer Help Thanks Wow: “Gratitude begins in our hearts and then dovetails into behavior. It almost always makes you willing to be of service, which is where the joy resides. It means you are willing to stop being such a jerk. When you are aware of all that has been given to you, in your lifetime and in the past few days it is hard not to be humbled, and pleased to give back.”[10]
These Reformation and contemporary perspectives on faith and works are helpful in reminding us that we are not mere spectators of Christianity but instruments of God’s loving action and justice in the world. Good works emerging out of a lively faith are life-giving, inspired and inspiring. A lively faith is an Incarnational faith that recognizes that in us and through us God is still at work in the world and in the church today.
The Rev. Jennifer M. Owen is the Rector of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. She has worked in parish ministry since she was ordained in 2012 and is a graduate of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale.
[1] Thomas Cranmer, “A Short Declaration of the True, Lively, and Christian Faith,” in Certain Sermons or Homilies Appointed to be Read in Churches in the time of Queen Elizabeth of Famous Memory (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1938), 33.
[2] Cranmer, “A Short Declaration of the True, Lively, and Christian Faith,” 30.
[3] Augustine of Hippo, “On Faith and Works,” in James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, ed. Gerald Bray, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 29.
[4] Cranmer, “A Short Declaration of the True, Lively, and Christian Faith,” 37.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid, 45
[7] Ibid, 45.
[8] Ibid, 35.
[9] Thomas Cranmer, “A Sermon of Good Works Annexed unto Faith,” 51.
[10] Anne Lamott, Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers (New York: Riverhead Books, 2012), 56-7.