Vatican II ABOUT FACE! - Chiesa viva

is hopeful of attaining justice. This is primary difference that
divides Catholic and Lutheran theology, which is reflected in
the sayings “peccator in re, iustus autem in spe” (sinners in
deed, but righteous in hope) and “simul iustus et peccator”
(simultaneously saints and sinners).
This belief of Luther, however, is debated today, seeing
that external imputed justice, is irreconcilable with the efficacy
of divine actions, especially in the context of the redemptive
mystery of Christ.
Through those sayings Luther believe that he had correctly
conveyed St. Paul’s texts on “Justification by Faith.” Instead,
it is a true “heresy” for what it affirms and what it excludes.
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The doctrine on justification that we find in the Council of
Trent is, on the other hand, very clear, not as an inter-religious
dialogue, nor as a theology on the controversy, but rather a result
of a heresy that had invaded the Church. The motive for
the Decree on Justification was not a scientific explanation
without any claims, but rather a heresy that raided the Church.
The introduction of the Decree demonstrates clearly the point
of view of the Council:
«Since there is being disseminated at this time, not
without the loss of many souls and grievous detriment
to the unity of the Church, a certain erroneous
doctrine concerning justification (...) the
Council of Trent (…) intends to expound to all
the faithful of Christ the true and salutary doctrine
of justification …» (cfr. Dz. 792 a).
The Tridentine Decree, therefore, was directed against a
doctrine that needed to be fought, since it had, according to
their interpretation, provoked a certain undeniable anthropocentrism.
On the “nature” of justification of the sinner
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