Which reformer argued that salvation is by faith alone and that the Bible is the ultimate authority?

Which reformer argued that salvation is by faith alone and that the Bible is the ultimate authority?

• A. John Calvin
• B. Erasmus
• C. Martin Luther
• D. Queen Elizabeth I

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is how the Protestant Reformation defined salvation and the authority of scripture. Martin Luther is the reformer most closely connected with both claims: that people are saved by faith alone (sola fide) and that the Bible is the ultimate authority over church tradition and hierarchy (sola scriptura). Luther argued that salvation comes through faith in Christ, not through performing rituals or paying for indulgences, and he emphasized that Scripture should guide belief and practice rather than the pope or councils alone. This combination—justification by faith and Scripture as the supreme authority—became a defining feature of his reforms and helped spur broad religious change in Europe. Erasmus sought reform within the Catholic framework without endorsing sola fide; Elizabeth I’s changes were political and tied to the English settlement; John Calvin also championed scripture as authority and justified faith, but Luther is the historical figure most closely associated with this exact pairing of ideas.

The idea being tested is how the Protestant Reformation defined salvation and the authority of scripture. Martin Luther is the reformer most closely connected with both claims: that people are saved by faith alone (sola fide) and that the Bible is the ultimate authority over church tradition and hierarchy (sola scriptura). Luther argued that salvation comes through faith in Christ, not through performing rituals or paying for indulgences, and he emphasized that Scripture should guide belief and practice rather than the pope or councils alone. This combination—justification by faith and Scripture as the supreme authority—became a defining feature of his reforms and helped spur broad religious change in Europe. Erasmus sought reform within the Catholic framework without endorsing sola fide; Elizabeth I’s changes were political and tied to the English settlement; John Calvin also championed scripture as authority and justified faith, but Luther is the historical figure most closely associated with this exact pairing of ideas.