The question of the justification of sinners is one of the most complex regions of Christian theology. The Regensburg article on justification proposed a solution that it was hoped would be acceptable to both sides, Protestant and Catholic. In 1541 at the Regensburg Colloquy, three leading Protestant theologians (Melanchthon, Bucer, and Pistorius) and three leading Catholic theologians (Eck, Gropper, and Pflug) debated with the aim of producing a commonly agreed statement of belief. The colloquy as a whole eventually failed, but it began with a statement on justification by faith agreed by all the parties, Article 5", leading to an initial burst of optimism. There were two contrasting reactions to Article 5. Some, like Calvin, maintained that it contained the substance of true doctrine; others, like Luther, called it an inconsistent patchwork. These two rival assessments have persisted over the centuries. The aim of this book is to decide between them. It does so by viewing the article in the light of the publications of the key participants and observers, as well as by comparing it with the Tridentine Catholic Decree on Justification. Anthony Lane puts the Regensburg article under the microscope, offering both a wide-ranging study of the article's history and a line-by-line analysis of its content, presenting the original Latin text together with an English translation and running commentary.

"Regensburg Article 5 on Justification is a meticulous work of scholarship. At the same time, it is a delightful read that draws us into the lives and works of the various participants ... No future historian of the Reformation should have the confidence to label Article 5 an "inconsistent patchwork" without first addressing the formidable argument of this volume." - Chris Castaldo, Themelios

"Easily the most reliable, comprehensive and scholarly account of the Colloquy of Regensburg (1541) and its important article on justification. We are unlikely to see a better assessment of this important episode for some considerable time." - Alister E. McGrath, Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion, University of Oxford

"Lane brings discussions of the Regensburg doctrine of justification to a new level through this meticulous examination of the background, context, content, and fate of this settlement. His careful assessment of the writings of the major figures on both sides of the ecclesiastical divide permits readers to apprehend clearly the fundamental concerns and the willingness to experiment with doctrinal expressions exhibited by those involved in the face-to-face meetings in Regensburg." - Robert Kolb, Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology, Concordia Seminary

"The movement toward concord on the doctrine of justification is not a new movement. But it is not easy: it requires persistence and attention to nuances. If the participants at the 1541 Regensburg Colloquy, along with those who reacted against it had read Article Five as carefully as did Professor Lane, the church today might have had a very different look." - Gordon A. Jensen, author of The Wittenberg Concord: Creating Space for Dialogue

"The title presents readers of Regensburg Article 5 with a dichotomy. The author's work validates Calvin's view that the article is the substance of true doctrine, rather than an inconsistent patchwork, a comment attributed to Luther (1).This work, the product of almost twenty years of research, is fully footnoted. It includes an appendix with drafts of Article 5 from Worms, Melanchthon, Eck, Gropper, and the final version...students and scholars interested in Article 5 and in duplex iustitia will find this a valuable read." - Suzanne Hequet, Concordia University, Lutheran Quarterly