Are we saved by faith alone, or by faith and works?

Clement of Rome fl. c. 96 ADFirst Letter to the Corinthians 32.4

And we too, called through his will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves, nor through our own wisdom or understanding or godliness or works that we have done in holiness of heart, but through faith, through which the almighty God has justified all people from the beginning. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The next sentence asks at once: "What then shall we do, brothers? Shall we stop doing good and abandon love? May the Master never let that happen to us." Clement holds faith and good works together.

Origen of Alexandria c. 185–c. 254 ADCommentary on Romans (Rufinus's Latin) 3.9, on Romans 3:28

... let us ask who has been justified by faith alone, without works. For an example, I think the thief is enough, who was crucified with Christ and cried to him from the cross: "Lord Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Nothing else is recorded in the Gospels of his good works, but for this faith alone Jesus said to him: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

"By faith alone" (sola fide), about 1,270 years before Luther. Origen's Greek is lost here; this is Rufinus's Latin of about 406, which abridges.

Augustine of Hippo 354–430 ADOn the Spirit and the Letter 26.45

He says that a person is justified freely by faith without the works of the law, and by "freely" he means only that works do not come before justification. ... What else does "justified" mean but "made righteous", by him who justifies the ungodly, so that from ungodly he becomes righteous?

Both sides claim this passage. Works do not come before justification, which Protestants cite. But "justified" means "made righteous", which Catholic teaching follows.

Augustine of Hippo 354–430 ADOn Faith and Works 14.23

"What use is it, my brothers," says James, "if someone says he has faith but has no works? Can faith save him?" He also says that faith without works is dead. How long, then, will those deceive themselves who promise themselves eternal life from a dead faith!

Written against people who thought faith and baptism would save them however they lived.

Council of TrentSession 6, Canons on Justification Canon 9

If anyone says that the ungodly is justified by faith alone, meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in obtaining the grace of justification, and that it is in no way necessary for him to be prepared and disposed by a movement of his own will: let him be anathema.

Trent answers the Reformers. Its decree also says that no one can be justified without the grace of Christ (canon 1).

Westminster AssemblyWestminster Confession of Faith 11.1

Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone.

The Reformed statement. Lutherans say the same in the Formula of Concord (1577).