THEREFORE THE TRUTH I SPEAK:
Scottish Theology 1500–1700
By Donald MacLeod
Christian Focus. 464 pages. £24.99
ISBN 978 1 527 102 415
This is an excellent, scholarly, book, recounting of the story of the church in Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries through the personalities involved.
The beginning of the 16th century was the time of the Reformation ignited by Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg castle. Through reading the Bible, Luther rediscovered the Biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone. He realised that simply by believing in Jesus Christ he was made right with God and was fit for heaven. This was an abhorrent doctrine to the corrupted medieval Roman Catholic church which was committed to salvation by works. According to this teaching you had to live a good enough life to enter heaven or pay your way instead.
