What do you think?
Rate this book
The Salvation Controversy
Perhaps nothing splits apart Catholics and Protestants like the topic of salvation. The arguments rage over how we're saved, when we're saved, and whether we can be assured of salvation. And Protestants fight among themselves as much as they fight with Catholics. No one understands the various arguments better than Catholic Answers' Jimmy Akin-a former Protestant himself. For the last 15 years, James has studied the issue of salvation, taking into account Church teachings and the various Protestant interpretations, while focusing primarily on Scripture. And now he's taken his findings and put them into a noteworthy new book, The Salvation Controversy. If you want to understand both the Catholic and Protestant positions on salvation-and be equipped to defend the Church's teachings-there's no better guide than The Salvation Controversy. It's a complete guide to salvation that no Catholic should be without.
154 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2001
5 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Jimmy Akin
47 books169 followersJimmy Akin (b. 1965) was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant pastor or seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith. Eventually, he was compelled in conscience to enter the Catholic Church, which he did in 1992. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is a Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to This Rock magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 17, 2016
Written by a former Evangelical, this book discusses what the Catholic Church teaches about salvation. It is a very well written book, explaining why certain Protestant views of salvation are unbiblical, and how the Catholic view of salvation is very biblical. I highly recommend this book anyone, Catholic, or non-Catholic christian. It may surprise you how biblical Catholic soteriology actually is.
You can read my conversion story here: www.Teawithabbey.com/Grace
You can read my conversion story here: www.Teawithabbey.com/Grace
December 26, 2017
This book by Jimmy Akin contains an incredible amount of valuable information on the Catholic Faith. It contains many explanations that are probably the best expositions available today. Nevertheless, it contains a very large flaw that overshadows the whole book.
First, the good.
In Chapter 1, Jimmy goes over the very important Bible truth that Salvation is a Past, Present, and Future event. He does so plowing through the epistles of St.Paul.
In Chapter 2, Jimmy Akin discuss the all important aspect of Eternal Salvation and Eternal Atonement, and Temporal Salvation and Temporal Atonement. A topic rarely understood by Catholics or Protestants. This makes sense of how we atone for our temporal sins, and how there can still be temporal punishment once eternal punishment is remitted. The difference between forgiveness and fellowship, in protestant terms. Chapter 3 continues in the same vein.
Chapter 4 deals with the biblical need for and old testament roots of the practice of penance. Chapter 5 deals witht he biblical basis for indulgences.
Chapter 8, Faith Works and Boasting, is by far the best chapter and worth the price of the book by itself. It is an in depth analysis of Catholic views on Paul. It shows the Catholic distinction between Eternal Law, Natural Law, Old Law, and the New Law. It shows how Paul was combating Jewish exclusivism and clinging to the old covenant, not a "works" salvation view. It provides a very cogent look into the mind of Paul. Chapter 9 continues in the same vein, explaining the Catholic view on Justification.
Not all is good however. Chapter 6, in which Jimmy analyzes the 5 points of Calvinism is very problematic. First off, nowhere in this chapter does he mention the dogma's of the Catholic faith that Christ gives sufficient grace for all and desires all to be saved. And he neglects the Catholic dogma's that God Predestines nobody to hell and died for all men. This gives the very very false appearance that Catholicism is close to Calvinism. Second, his intention behind the Chapter it to see "how close" to Calvinism Catholics can be without stepping into heresy. Why would you ask such a question? It's the same as asking how close we can come to sin without sinning. We should flee heresy.
Furthermore, nowhere does he explain the different views of Man's freedom that exist between Catholics and Calvinists.
His analysis of Total Depravity is very wrong. 1. The Catholic Church absolutely does not support Total Depravity. 2. His representation of how Calvinists believe is simply untrue. Calvinists believe man is totally evil and without any good at all, that is not the Catholic Teaching.
On Unconditional Election, It is correct to say that a Catholic could believe in a form of unconditional election, but he totally neglects all the things a Catholic would have to believe with it(Such as Christ's desire for the salvation of all) that make is so different from Calvinism. In addition, even so, it still is in heavy tension with other Catholic Dogma's.
On Limited Atonement, he is the most horrendous. Limited Atonement is a heresy according to the Catholic Church, yet he twists and rewords Catholic teaching to the point where Catholic Doctrine sounds like limited atonement. This is especially absurd and harmful.
He continues on in like manner about the last two points of Calvinism.
So, although this book contains some of the best teaching available on Paul, and Salvation as a whole, it's section on Calvinism is extremely misleading and often very false.
First, the good.
In Chapter 1, Jimmy goes over the very important Bible truth that Salvation is a Past, Present, and Future event. He does so plowing through the epistles of St.Paul.
In Chapter 2, Jimmy Akin discuss the all important aspect of Eternal Salvation and Eternal Atonement, and Temporal Salvation and Temporal Atonement. A topic rarely understood by Catholics or Protestants. This makes sense of how we atone for our temporal sins, and how there can still be temporal punishment once eternal punishment is remitted. The difference between forgiveness and fellowship, in protestant terms. Chapter 3 continues in the same vein.
Chapter 4 deals with the biblical need for and old testament roots of the practice of penance. Chapter 5 deals witht he biblical basis for indulgences.
Chapter 8, Faith Works and Boasting, is by far the best chapter and worth the price of the book by itself. It is an in depth analysis of Catholic views on Paul. It shows the Catholic distinction between Eternal Law, Natural Law, Old Law, and the New Law. It shows how Paul was combating Jewish exclusivism and clinging to the old covenant, not a "works" salvation view. It provides a very cogent look into the mind of Paul. Chapter 9 continues in the same vein, explaining the Catholic view on Justification.
Not all is good however. Chapter 6, in which Jimmy analyzes the 5 points of Calvinism is very problematic. First off, nowhere in this chapter does he mention the dogma's of the Catholic faith that Christ gives sufficient grace for all and desires all to be saved. And he neglects the Catholic dogma's that God Predestines nobody to hell and died for all men. This gives the very very false appearance that Catholicism is close to Calvinism. Second, his intention behind the Chapter it to see "how close" to Calvinism Catholics can be without stepping into heresy. Why would you ask such a question? It's the same as asking how close we can come to sin without sinning. We should flee heresy.
Furthermore, nowhere does he explain the different views of Man's freedom that exist between Catholics and Calvinists.
His analysis of Total Depravity is very wrong. 1. The Catholic Church absolutely does not support Total Depravity. 2. His representation of how Calvinists believe is simply untrue. Calvinists believe man is totally evil and without any good at all, that is not the Catholic Teaching.
On Unconditional Election, It is correct to say that a Catholic could believe in a form of unconditional election, but he totally neglects all the things a Catholic would have to believe with it(Such as Christ's desire for the salvation of all) that make is so different from Calvinism. In addition, even so, it still is in heavy tension with other Catholic Dogma's.
On Limited Atonement, he is the most horrendous. Limited Atonement is a heresy according to the Catholic Church, yet he twists and rewords Catholic teaching to the point where Catholic Doctrine sounds like limited atonement. This is especially absurd and harmful.
He continues on in like manner about the last two points of Calvinism.
So, although this book contains some of the best teaching available on Paul, and Salvation as a whole, it's section on Calvinism is extremely misleading and often very false.
March 17, 2025
This has been very helpful in understanding where Catholics and Protestants agree and disagree on the salvation subjects. I think the author did a great job of graciously explaining both sides with a balanced and fair treatment while still maintaining his conviction that Catholicism has it right.
February 27, 2012
The author, a convert to Roman Catholicism, touches on the major points of controversy between Catholics and Protestants on the subject of justification. I particularly liked his emphasis on the use of language. He was very careful to point out what different sides mean by the same terms. Occasionally I felt like he was setting up arguments that were straw men, but that the counterpoints would have worked just as well on a more full representation of the position in question. For Protestants, this will be a frustrating read: the author will sometimes dismiss a particular Protestant doctrine, and return to it much later in the book. As a former Calvinist, I thought the chapter on TULIP was well done, though I confess I am somewhat lost on the distinction between action and permission (as it pertains to double predestination) when discussing an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-ordaining God. The book concludes with an overview of the 1999 Lutheran-Catholic joint statement on justification, both to clear up confusion about the document, and I think to admonish Catholics to take a conciliatory tone with Protestants when discussing these subjects. The Wars of Religion are long over, we can put away the cannons.
August 2, 2011
Outstanding content. Jimmy Akin carefully and charitably lays out the differences between Catholic and many Protestants' teachings about salvation, justification, sanctification, indulgences, boasting, good works, and a few other major issues. Although it's a short book (~140 pages), it wastes little time getting into the thick of things with succinct summaries of both sides, including and contrasting the Scriptural backbones to their arguments. Akin is a Catholic apologetics powerhouse and in this book lays out the Church's teachings with charity and clarity. I knocked off half a star because, unlike the first half of the book, the second half needed more analogies and I have to admit I struggled at times to follow Akin's argument (especially during his discussion of Romans 3:27). Still though, this is a great book.
March 28, 2013
The kindest, fairest account I've read of the differences of understanding between Catholics and Protestants in their interpretation of Paul. Jimmy doesn't beat over the head or belittle, but charitably holds forth his case. His analysis is also very astute, particularly in examining the differences and nuances in Paul's language that one side or the other so often doesn't perceive. It opened my eyes and deepened my understanding. I want to buy copies of this book for every one of my Protestant friends.
April 5, 2011
Exceptionally well done. Characterizes well the main difference between the "once saved, always saved" Christian philosophy with the idea that we live out our salvation everyday of our lives. The only major complaint is that it is very heady and philosophical. The ideas are presented in a very complex manner and not always in an accessible format.
Still, found it very enlightening.
Still, found it very enlightening.
June 28, 2013
Very thorough as usual from Jimmy Akin. I liked how he emphasized areas of commonality between Catholics and Protestants about justification and how many times it's a matter of language and emphasis. That being said, as Catholics we should all know what and why believe what we do about our salvation, justification, etc.
February 25, 2012
An excellent book that completely destroys any so-called biblical basis for most points of Calvinism.
July 9, 2016
This was a very informative text about the difference between Protestant and Catholic beliefs.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews