Faith Alone as Viewed from the Other Side of the Tiber

"So according to some of our Protestant friends when Saint James says that faith with out works is dead, he really means "the kinda faith that has not works" without works can't save you. Does this give anybody else a headache? Wouldn't it just be easier to accept what is written by Saint James at face value that faith (not the dead kind as Calvinists claim) without works is dead, instead of John Calvin and others waving their fingers deftly so the reader comes away believing the opposite of what Scripture actually states?" [source]

Answer... using the same method:

So according to some of our Roman Catholic friends when Saint Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory” he really means salvation is also of works. Does this give anybody else a headache? Wouldn't it just be easier to accept what is written by Saint Paul at face value that salvation (not that  Trentian idea of the infusion of grace producing good works) is through faith and not of works,  instead of Roman Catholics waving their fingers deftly so the reader comes away believing the opposite of what Scripture actually states?

The point of course is that both what James says and what Paul says needs to be exegeted according to the contexts. Presenting a caricature of either position doesn't do anyone any good.

Addendum

Here's an interesting quote from Calvin... no wait, from John of Damascus:

"For faith apart from works is dead, and so likewise are works apart from faith. For the true faith is attested by works" (Exposition of the Orthodox Faith IV.9].