Going Beyond the Salvation Wars with Dr. Matthew Bates

The Sacramentalists

In this episode of The Sacramentalists, Frs. Creighton and Wesley welcome New Testament scholar Dr. Matthew Bates to discuss his provocative new book, Beyond the Salvation Wars: A New Vision of the Christian Life.Bates argues that many of our debates about salvation—whether framed in terms of “faith alone” or “works righteousness”—have become theological dead ends. In their place, he offers a fresh and deeply biblical model centered on allegiance to Jesus as King, which he contends better captures the shape of the gospel and the fullness of the Christian life.We explore the implications of his proposal for sacraments, church unity, and discipleship, as well as the strong reactions it’s provoked from Reformed critics. Does allegiance theology open the door to a more sacramental faith? How does it help us move beyond stale binaries and recover a truly catholic vision of salvation?We would love to hear from you! Send us your feedback and questions to [email protected] or reach out to us on Twitter @sacramentalists. Be sure to join our Communion of Patreon Saints for only $5 a month.