Chapter 23 considers the range of Catholic positions that were represented during the Council of Trent’s debates on justification. Although some representatives are best considered as independent theologians, not specifically committed to one of the leading schools of theology of this period, it is clear that many of those present aligned themselves with one of three schools: the early Dominican school (based mainly on the works of Thomas Aquinas), the early Franciscan school (based mainly on the works of Bonaventure), and the later Franciscan school (based mainly on the works of Duns Scotus). This chapter considers the basic position of each of these schools of thought in relation to the questions being discussed. Although some earlier accounts of the Tridentine discussions of justification suggest that there was a distinct Augustinian school of theology represented, the evidence does not support this view.

Chapter 24 examines the records of the Tridentine discussions of justification which took place over the period 22–28 June 1546. These discussions indicate how the basic agenda was set, and how a number of approaches were explored, before the final structure of the Decree on Justification was developed. These discussions are of major importance in interpreting the final Decree on Justification, as they often indicate why a particular form of words was adopted in preference to another. Perhaps the most important of these is the revised version of the eighth chapter of the draft decree that was drawn up for discussion on 11 December 1546, concerning the formal cause of justification. The original wording recognised that there was una (‘one’) such cause. This was considered to allow that other formal causess might also be countenanced, and so was replaced by unica (‘single’, ‘sole’ or ‘one and only’).