Editing Sola fide (section)

=== Luther===
[[Martin Luther]] elevated ''sola fide'' to the principal cause of the [[Protestant Reformation]], the rallying cry of the Lutheran cause, and the chief distinction of the Lutheran and Reformed branches of Christianity from [[Roman Catholicism]]. 

Luther added the word ''allein'' ("alone" in German) to [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] {{Bibleref2-nb|Romans|3:28}} controversially so that it read: "So now we hold, that man is justified without the help of the works of the law, ''alone'' through faith".<ref>{{Citation | year = 1522 | title = Testament | chapter = Romans 3:28 | quote = So halten wyrs nu, das der mensch gerechtfertiget werde, on zu thun der werck des gesetzs, ''alleyn'' durch den glawben (emphasis added to the German word for 'alone.') | chapter-url = http://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Lutherbibel/R%C3%B6mer_%281522%29#Das_Dritte_Capitel}}.</ref> The word "alone" does not appear in the [[Biblical manuscript|Greek manuscripts]]<ref>{{Citation | quote = λογιζόμεθα γάρ δικαιоῦσθαι πίστει ἄνθρωπον χωρὶς ἔργων νόμου ("for we reckon a man to be justified by faith without deeds of law") | url = http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~fisher/cgi-bin/gnt?id=0603 | publisher = York | title = New testament | language = el | access-date = 5 December 2017 | archive-date = 2 July 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080702051519/http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~fisher/cgi-bin/gnt?id=0603 | url-status = dead }}.</ref> and Luther acknowledged this fact, but he defended his translation by maintaining that the adverb "alone" was required by idiomatic German:<ref>Martin Luther, ''On Translating: An Open Letter'' (1530), Luther's Works, 55 vols. (St. Louis and Philadelphia: Concordia Publishing House and Fortress Press), 35:187–189, 195; cf. also Heinz Bluhm, ''Martin Luther Creative Translator'' (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1965), pp. 125–137.</ref>

{{blockquote|I knew very well that the word ''solum'' ["alone" in Latin] is not in the Greek or Latin text (…) It is a fact that these four letters S O L A are not there (…) At the same time (…) it belongs there if the translation is to be clear and vigorous. I wanted to speak German, not Latin or Greek, since it was German I had undertaken to speak in the translation. But it is the nature of our German language that in speaking of two things, one of which is affirmed and the other denied, we use the word ''solum'' (''allein'') along with the word ''nicht'' [not] or ''kein'' [no]. For example, we say, 'The farmer brings ''allein'' [only] grain and ''kein'' [no] money.<ref>WELS Topical Q&A, [https://wels.net/faq/romans-328-and-martin-luther/ ''Romans 3:28 and Martin Luther'']</ref>}}

Luther further stated that ''sola'' was used in theological traditions before him and this adverb makes Paul's intended meaning clearer:

{{blockquote|I am not the only one, nor the first, to say that ''faith alone'' makes one righteous. There was Ambrose, Augustine and many others who said it before me. And if a man is going to read and understand St. Paul, he will have to say the same thing, and he can say nothing else. Paul's words are too strong – they allow no works, none at all! Now if it is not works, it must be faith alone.<ref>Luther, Martin, [http://www.theologywebsite.com/etext/luther_translating.shtml ''On Translating:  An Open Letter''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027021502/http://www.theologywebsite.com/etext/luther_translating.shtml |date=27 October 2015 }}</ref>}}