Paul vs. James: What We’ve Been Missing in the Faith and Works Debate

by Chris Bruno

Publisher:

Moody

, 2019

Overview

Everything you never knew about the men behind the controversy.

Put James and Paul next to each other and some tough-to-answer questions come up. Paul says we’re saved by faith alone, not works—and James seems to say the opposite. If you’ve been around the church for a while, you probably know enough to say “the right thing” if someone asked about these verses. But would your answers hold up to scrutiny? If pressed, would you know what to say?

Dive into the life stories of both apostles, learn more about the context of their letters, and discover the truth about the shared message they both proclaimed. No more canned answers or lingering questions, gain confidence and go deeper in Paul vs. James.

Key Features

• Provides an engaging way to understand a source of tension in the New Testament
• Explores the exegetical, canonical, and theological unity of the issue
• Examines the importance of the matter for faithful Christian living today

Contents

• Foreword - Doug Moo
• Introduction

The Lives of James and Paul

• James, Brother of Jesus
• Paul, Persecutor of the Church
• James the Just, Servant of Jesus Christ
• Paul, Apostle of Jesus
• The Shared Ministry of James and Paul

The Letters of James and Paul

• Abraham’s Foundational Faith
• James, Justification, and Fake Faith
• Paul, Justification, and Godly Good Works

The Legacy of James and Paul

• Faith, Works, and Justification
• Preaching and Teaching James and Paul through the Centuries
• Faith and Works in Real Life
• Epilogue: Unity, Diversity, and Faithfulness

Praise for the Print Edition

Chris Bruno tackles the perennial yet parochially Protestant problem of aligning the apostle Paul and James the Just when it comes to faith and works. What Bruno shows is that if the letter of James is an epistle of straw, then Paul’s letter to the Galatians too is stuffed with straw. Through a meticulous description of the life and context of Paul and James and a concerted comparison of their respective letters, Bruno succeeds in demonstrating how these two pillars of the church are really singing off the same sheet of gospel music

—Michael F. Bird, Academic Dean and Lecturer in Theology at Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia

Chris Bruno he has shown in this very accessible but profound book that James and Paul cohere in their theology of justification. Bruno demonstrates that faith and works in both Paul and James are not enemies but friends, but at the same time he carefully explains what Paul and James mean by the key terms faith, works, and justification. I am confident that many will come to a clear understanding of how Paul and James fit together by reading this work.

—Thomas Schreiner, Professor of New Testament Interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Many pit the Old Testament against the New, the Gospels against Paul, and James against Paul. Bruno argues that the two apostles, in reality, reinforce each other. The brilliance of this book lies in its accessibility and wholistic understanding of Paul and James. This project will serve the church well in its informed theology, responsible handling of biblical texts, and application for today. Well done.

—Benjamin L. Gladd, Associate Professor of New Testament, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS

Product Details

• Title: Paul vs. James: What We’ve Been Missing in the Faith and Works Debate
• Author: Chris Bruno
• Publisher: Moody
• Print Publication Date: 2019
• Logos Release Date: 2020
• Pages: 150
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Paul, the Apostle, Saint; James, the Greater, Saint; Bible. N.T. Epistles of Paul › Criticism, interpretation, etc; Bible. N.T. James › Criticism, interpretation, etc; Faith › Biblical teaching; Good works (Theology) › Biblical teaching
• ISBNs: 9780802419125, 9780802497826, 0802419127, 0802497829
• Resource ID: LLS:PLVSJMSFWRKSDBT
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T02:16:10Z

About Chris Bruno

Chris Bruno (PhD, Wheaton College; MDiv, Southern Seminary) serves as assistant professor of New Testament and Greek at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, MN. He previously taught Bible and theology at Cedarville University and Northland International University and served as a pastor at Harbor Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. Chris and his wife, Katie, have four sons.

Sample Pages from Paul vs. James: What We’ve Been Missing in the Faith and Works Debate