Introduction to the Five Solas

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany. At the time, he did not want to leave Roman Catholicism, but to debate and reform abuses that he believed resided only in the lower echelons of the Catholic hierarchy. However, because of its far-reaching ramifications, historians give this date as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, which rediscovered many doctrines critical to the Christian faith, which were subdued by the Catholic organization. These doctrines were encapsulated in the Five Solas—Sola Scriptura, Sola Gracia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria. This sermon introduces us to the history and principles of these crucial statements of basic doctrine.