Faith and works
'Justified by faith apart from works of the law' beside 'faith without works is dead' — Paul and James on what justification names (with Romans 2:6-11; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Romans 3:21-28
21But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;
22even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,
23for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
25whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;
26to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.
27Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
James 2:14-26
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
15And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
16and one of you tells them, “Go in peace. Be warmed and filled;” yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?
17Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
18Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.
20But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
21Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected.
23So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
24You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.
25In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
What each tradition says
Rabbinic / Midrashic
Kaufmann Kohler argues that God’s saving grace lies in faith, understood as blind belief, not in works of the Law. He says faith in Jesus’ atoning death, not the Law, is the means of justification and salvation. The Law demands servitude, while the spirit of Christ makes men children of God.
Kaufmann Kohler (1843-1926), The Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 11, s.v. 'Saul of Tarsus' (Funk & Wagnalls, 1905; article signed 'K.') — section 'Antinomianism and Jew-Hatred', arguing from Gen. 15:6 and Rom. 4-8
Patristic
Chrysostom says not to doubt, for it is not of works but of faith. He says not to shun the righteousness of God, since it is a blessing in two ways: it is easy and open to all men.
John Chrysostom (c. 349-407), Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans, Homily VII (trans. J. B. Morris, rev. W. H. Simcox; Oxford 1876), in NPNF ser. 1, vol. 11 (Schaff, 1889) — Homily VII, exposition of Romans 3:24-28
Catholic
The Council of Trent anathematizes anyone who says that faith alone justifies the impious in the sense that nothing else must cooperate to obtain the grace of justification, and that preparation and disposition by the movement of one's own will are not necessary. It therefore rejects faith alone as excluding such cooperation and preparation.
Council of Trent (1545-1563); trans. J. Waterworth (1848), The Canons and Decrees of the Sacred and Oecumenical Council of Trent (London: Dolman, 1848) — Session VI, Decree on Justification (13 January 1547), Canon IX
Orthodox
The source states that a person is not simply justified through faith alone. It says justification is through faith working through love, that is, through faith and works.
Reformed / Protestant
Calvin says James’s statement that a man is not justified by faith alone but also by works does not at all conflict with the preceding view. He holds that reconciling the two views depends chiefly on the drift of the argument James pursues.
John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentaries on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans (trans. John Owen, Calvin Translation Society, 1849) — Commentary on Romans 3:27-28
Evangelical
Barnes argues James does not contradict Paul. Instead, James contradicts a false explanation of Paul's teaching. James does not deny that a person is justified before God by faith, but he denies that justification comes by a faith that produces no good works.
Albert Barnes (1798-1870), Notes on the New Testament, Explanatory and Practical (enlarged ed. by Robert Frew; CCEL carries the Baker reprint) — Note on James 2:24