Fran and Kylie explore the relationship between hearing and doing ‘the law of liberty’ in James 1:17-27, and reflect on the two emphases in the Jewish and Christian traditions of faith and works. We note that James may not be as anthropologically focused as it first appears. We re-engage with Mark’s gospel, where Jesus challenges his own tradition, and  note pitfalls in caricaturing the Pharisees in 7:1-8, 14-15, 22-23, and talk about the nuances in living tradition, change and faithfulness.