This semester, I've been teaching an online class in Anglican Theology and Ethics at Bexley-Seabury Seminary. We recently dealt with the question of what holiness means in light of different theological models developed before and after the Reformation. One way to think of holiness is what's called infused righteousness: God works a change in us in our baptism and through the sacraments. This is a historically catholic perspective that dates to the early church. Imputed righteousness in associated especially with Martin Luther, but it emerged in several streams of Reformation thought. Under imputed righteousness, what changes is how God sees us - and then we respond to that change by living as forgiven people. The Prayer Book includes both models as part of its via media approach to theology and practice. I made a little video to illustrate the difference between the two, and I hope you enjoy it!
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