St John Fisher vs Martin Luther: Fisher Takes on Luther (Part 3/4) ~ Michael Davies

About this sermon

In Part 3 of Michael Davies' acclaimed lecture series, the debate between St. John Fisher and Martin Luther reaches its most important stage: the battle over salvation itself. Why did Luther teach justification by faith alone? What did the Catholic Church teach about grace, free will, merit, repentance, and salvation? Why did St. John Fisher consider Luther's doctrine the foundation of every other Protestant error? Drawing from Scripture, the Church Fathers, Apostolic Tradition, and the teachings of the early Church, Fisher systematically dismantles the doctrines of Sola Scriptura and Justification by Faith Alone while defending the Catholic understanding of grace and sanctification. In this lecture: • Fisher's defense of Sacred Tradition • Why the Church Fathers matter • Sola Scriptura examined and challenged • Luther's rejection of the Epistle of James • The controversy over Romans 3:28 • Justification by Faith Alone explained • Free Will and human cooperation with grace • Sanctifying Grace and transformation of the soul • The Council of Trent and Fisher's influence • Merit, good works, and salvation • Luther's doctrine of total depravity • The authority of the Church in interpreting Scripture • Fisher's response to Protestant theology • Grace, repentance, hope, and perseverance • God's mercy and the possibility of conversion Michael Davies demonstrates why many historians regard St. John Fisher as the most profound Catholic theologian to engage Martin Luther during the opening years of the Protestant Reformation. This lecture remains essential for anyone seeking to understand the theological foundations of the Catholic-Protestant divide and the Catholic doctrine of salvation. 00:00 Fisher enters the theological battle against Luther 01:05 Henry VIII, Thomas More, and the controversy expands 01:40 Fisher's Defense of the King Against Luther 02:05 Why Fisher argued differently than Luther 02:30 Scripture, Tradition, and the Church Fathers 03:15 Can Popes err? Fisher's nuanced answer 04:00 The authority of the Fathers of the Church 04:50 "I would not believe the Gospel except through the Church" 05:10 Luther rejects the Epistle of James 05:40 Romans 3:28 and Faith Alone 06:20 Did Luther add the word "alone" to Scripture? 07:15 Luther's view of authority and doctrine 08:00 The psychological roots of Luther's theology 09:00 Total depravity and the corruption of man 10:15 Fisher becomes England's leading theologian 11:10 Fisher's sermon against Lutheranism 12:35 The bishop's duty to defend the Faith 13:15 Fisher and religious liberty 15:00 Heresy and Catholic society in the sixteenth century 16:25 Fisher's treatment of heretics in Rochester 17:00 Why theologians admired Fisher's work 17:30 Justification by Faith Alone as Luther's central doctrine 19:00 Fisher's masterwork against Luther 20:00 How one error led to many others 21:00 Luther's theology explained 22:00 The "cloak of righteousness" concept 23:00 Luther and the German Peasants' Revolt 24:00 Contrition and repentance under attack 25:00 Luther's controversial statements on sin 27:00 Is Scripture self-interpreting? 28:15 Luther's conflicts with other reformers 29:15 Fisher's defense of Church authority 30:30 Sacred Tradition and Apostolic teaching 31:30 Fisher's summary of Luther's errors 32:30 Catholic faith as assent to revealed truth 33:15 Council of Trent on justification 34:00 Catholic vs Protestant views of salvation 35:00 Grace, repentance, and preparation for justification 36:00 Merit, good works, and cooperation with grace 37:15 Free Will and human responsibility 38:20 God's mercy and hope for every sinner 39:50 Fisher's spiritual writings from the Tower of London 40:15 Can faith save without conversion? 41:15 Sin, repentance, and personal responsibility 42:20 Conclusion: God does not send us to hell—we reject Him For more please visit https://www.keepthefaith.org/ St. John Fisher's book on the Defense of the Priesthood against Luther is found here https://mediatrixpress.com/?p=1738 Books on St John Fisher found here https://mediatrixpress.com/?s=john+fisher To help translate St John Fisher's apologetic against Luther please visit https://mediatrixpress.com/?page_id=3467 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #StJohnFisher #MartinLuther #FaithAlone #SolaScriptura #CatholicTheology #CatholicApologetics #MichaelDavies #ChurchHistory #Reformation #SensusFidelium