What are the Five Solas of the Reformation?

The Five Solas of the Reformation are foundational principles that emerged from the 16th-century Protestant Reformation, encapsulating the theological convictions that distinguished the reformers from the Roman Catholic Church. They are: Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone).

In the video above, VSA teacher Ben Szumskyj discusses what each of these means for us, and you can also read brief descriptions of each sola below!

1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)

The Bible is the sole, ultimate authority for faith and practice. No pope, council, or tradition stands above it. The reformers, like Luther and Calvin, insisted that Scripture’s clarity and sufficiency cut through the clutter of human inventions.

2. Sola Fide (Faith Alone)

Salvation comes through faith alone, not works, rituals, or merit. You don’t earn God’s favor by climbing a ladder of good deeds or buying indulgences. Faith—trust in Christ’s finished work—is the only channel through which God’s righteousness is imputed to sinners. The reformers saw this as the heartbeat of the gospel, a dagger to the heart of Rome’s works-based system.

3. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)

God’s grace is the sole source of salvation. No human effort, no spark of goodness in us, initiates or sustains it. Grace is God’s unmerited favor, freely given to those who deserve wrath. The reformers stood firm: if salvation depends even slightly on us, it’s not salvation—it’s a transaction. Grace alone means God gets all the credit.

4. Solus Christus (Christ Alone)

Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man. No saints, no Mary, no priests can bridge that gap. His death, resurrection, and intercession are the exclusive means of redemption. The reformers railed against anything that diluted Christ’s centrality—whether purgatory, masses, or relics. It’s Christ or nothing, the cornerstone that holds it all together.

5. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)

All of life—salvation, worship, work—is for God’s glory alone. Not the church, not the saints, not ourselves. The reformers saw this as the capstone: every Sola points back to God’s supreme worth. Rome’s system, they argued, stole glory from God by elevating human institutions. This principle demands that everything we do reflects His majesty, not ours.