BOUYER 1: Grace as objective/Faith as subjective

I've begun reading Bouyer:

These two expressions ["salvation by grace" and "justification by faith"]...do not indicate two distinct principles, but two aspects of the same principle--the objective aspect being the gift of God; and the subjective the appropriation of the gift by man. Nonetheless, the two aspects are not the same: though we may not separate them entirely, we have to study each in turn. Clearly, it is the first, objective aspect that determines the second; so we begin with the study of the gratutious nature of salvation. A later investigation into the part played in Protestantism by the faith through which salvation is appropriated will, moreover, bring to our notice a marked tendency, running through the whole course of Protestant history, to a separation, in effect, of "grace" and "faith." In principle, however, they are intimately united, and it is quite certain that faith derives its content from grace, and not vice versa. (Louis Bouyer, The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism, p. 33-34)

Beth:

Hmm. So is this one way of understanding the differences between Catholics and Protestants? Do Catholics see "salvation by grace" and "justification by faith" as two sides of the same coin, while Protestants see them as two different coins?

The old medieval motto was "distinguish in order to unite." Is there a corresponding "motto" for Protestantism? "Separate in order to purify?"

Why the need for separation? Or should the question instead be, why the need to unite? How do ones' metaphysical presuppostions color even the way the question is framed?

Hmmm. I'll have to read on.