Which historical streams are associated with portraying the Christian life as a struggle toward righteousness rather than possession?

• A. Pietism and Puritanism
• B. Monasticism and Scholasticism
• C. Reformation and Lutheranism
• D. Anglicanism and Methodism

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is the way some Christian movements framed the Christian life as an ongoing process of becoming righteous—a daily pursuit of holiness and inner transformation—rather than simply possessing righteousness through status or ritual. Pietism and Puritanism are the best examples of this emphasis.

Pietism centers on personal faith, heartfelt devotion, and practical daily holiness. It urges believers to engage in regular prayer, Bible study, and a disciplined Christian lifestyle as evidence of genuine conversion and ongoing sanctification. Puritanism carries this even further in a historical move that stresses inward righteousness, rigorous moral discipline, and a constant battle against sin within the heart and life. In both streams, the Christian life is pictured as a strenuous journey of growth toward holiness, not just a once-for-all possession of righteousness.

Other options don’t fit this emphasis as cleanly. Monasticism and Scholasticism point more to withdrawal from the world or to a methodical, intellectual approach to theology, rather than the lived, ongoing struggle for holiness. Reformation and Lutheranism highlight justification by faith and the authority of Scripture, focusing more on how righteousness is received than on sustained, inner pursuit. Anglicanism and Methodism touch on holiness as well, but the strongest association with the active, daily struggle toward becoming righteous is most clearly seen in Pietism and Puritanism.