Pelagianism views
humanity as basically good and morally unaffected by the Fall. It denies the imputation of
Adam's sin, original sin, total depravity, and substitutionary
atonement. It simultaneously views man as fundamentally good and in
possession of libertarian free
will. With regards to salvation, it teaches that man has the ability
in and of himself (apart from divine aid) to obey God and earn eternal
salvation. Pelagianism is overwhelmingly incompatible with the Bible and was
historically opposed by Augustine (354-430),
Bishop of Hippo, leading to its condemnation as a heresy at Council of Carthage in 418
A.D. These condemnations were summarily ratified at the Council of Ephesus (A.D.
431).
Discussion
Pelagius
was a monk from Britain, whose reputation and theology came into prominence
after he went to Rome sometime in the 380's A.D. The historic Pelagian
theological controversy involved the nature of man and the doctrine of original
sin.
Pelagius
believed that the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin (the Fall) were
restricted to themselves only; and thereby denied the belief that original sin
was passed on (or transferred) to the children of Adam and thus to the human
race. Adam's sin merely "set a bad example"
for his progeny and Jesus "set a good example" for
mankind (thus counteracting Adam's bad example). Pelagianism teaches that human
beings are born in a state of innocence with a nature that is as pure as that
which Adam was given at his creation.
As
a result of his basic assumption, Pelagius taught that man has an unimpaired
moral ability to choose that which is spiritually good and possesses the free
will, ability, and capacity to do that which is spiritually good. This resulted
in a gospel of salvation based on human works. Man could choose to follow the
precepts of God and then follow those precepts because he had the power within
himself to do so.
The
controversy came to a head when Pelagian teaching came into contact with
Augustine. Augustine did not deny that man had a will and that he could make
choices. But, Augustine recognized that man did not have a free will in moral
issues related to God, asserting that the effects original sin were passed to
the children of Adam and Eve and that mankind’s nature was thereby corrupted.
Man could choose what he desired, but those desires were influenced by his sinful
nature and he was unable to refrain from sinning.
Pelagius
cleared himself of charges, primarily by hiding his real beliefs; however, at
the Council of Carthage in 418 A.D., his teachings were branded as heresy. The
Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., again condemned Pelagian doctrine and it was
banished in the Greek portion of the church. However, in the West, the
teachings held on, primarily in Britain and Gaul.
Pelagian
teaching was replaced with Semi-Pelagianism which sought a middle ground between
Pelagianism and Augustinianism, but it too was condemned at the Second Synod of
Orange in 529 A.D. However, elements of Semi-Pelagianism continued in the
Western (Roman) church. It emerged again after the Reformation in modified form
in Arminianism which was rejected by the Reformed
churches at the Synod of Dort in 1618-1619 A.D.
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