The Cordial Catholic

229: Can Catholics and Evangelicals Agree on How We're Saved? (w/ Dr. Matthew J. Thomas)

K. Albert Little, Matthew J. Thomas

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. Matthew J. Thomas to talk about justification, salvation, and whether or not Evangelicals and Catholics can agree on how we're saved.

This is a wonderful topic and one of the bread-and-butter type conversations on this podcast: unpacking what both Catholics and Evangelicals believe about how we're saved and trying to come up with some agreement.

Dr. Thomas explains how the definition of words like "justification," "works," and "salvation" can often be misused and misunderstood across different groups and that being clear with our language, looking for similarities, and working through differences is how we can better understand what divided and shockingly still divides Protestant Christianity from Catholic and Orthodox believers.

For more from Dr. Matthew J. Thomas, visit  the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology.

You can read Dr. Thomas' article, "Justification," at the St. Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology.

Be sure to listen to Dr. Thomas' wife's incredible conversion story, too. A female Anglican priest-candidate, Leanne Thomas discerned a different path when she encountered the Catholic liturgy and the Early Church Fathers and ended up, along with her husband, becoming Catholic. Her episode is number 210.

For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com.

Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests!

To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.

Please consider financially supporting this show!

For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also

Join myself and my parish priest Fr. Joseph on a pilgrimage experience to France.

This retreat-like pilgrimage takes place August 12 - 20, 2025. With Mass every day, we'll walk in the footsteps of St. Joan of Arc in Rouen, retreat to the home of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the iconic Mont-Saint-Michel, and explore the newly restored Cathedral de Notre Dame de Paris.

Visit Trinity Travel Tours for more information.

This show is brought to you in a special way by our Patreon Co-Producers. Thank you to Elli and Tom, Fr. Larry, Gina, Heather, James, Michelle, Noah, Robert, Shelby, Susanne and Victor, and William. 

Beyond The Beacon
Join Bishop Kevin Sweeney for inspired interviews with Christians living out their faith!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Find and follow The Cordial Catholic on social media:

Instagram: @cordialcatholic
Twitter: @cordialcatholic
YouTube: /thecordialcatholic
Facebook: The Cordial Catholic
TikTok: @cordialcatholic

People on this episode