| HERESY | PELAGIUS and PELAGIANISM |
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| HERESY | PELAGIUS and PELAGIANISM |
| BIRTH - DEATH | b. 360 A.D.? - d. 420 A.D.? |
| EDUCATION | Unknown |
| MINISTRIES | Probably a layman and not a cleric |
| MAJOR WORKS |
De Fide Trinitatis Libri III Eclogarum Ex Divinis Scripturis Liber Unus/ Commentarii In Epistolas S. Pauli De Natura |
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Little is known of the origin of Pelagius. He is considered to have come from Britain, and it has
been asserted that he could have been Scotch, Welsh or Irish. Nothing is known about his
educational background. His reputation and theology came into prominence after he went to
Rome sometime in the 380's A.D. The basic Pelagian dispute was over the nature or original sin. Pelagius believed that the consequences of Adam's (and Eve's) sin were restricted to themselves only and, as a result, he denied the belief that original sin was passed on or transferred to the children of Adam and thus to the human race. His teaching was 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, he taught that man has an unimpaired ability to choose that which was spiritually good and possesses the will, within himself, to do that which is spiritually good. This is possible, because man is not affected by the original sin of Adam and Eve. This gospel of salvation that resulted from the Pelagian belief was based on human works. Man could choose to follow the precepts of God and he could then follow those precepts because he had the power within himself to accomplish the task. In effect, the core doctrine of current Mormon belief is based on Pelagian belief. 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 original sin was passed to the children of Adam and Eve and that the state of man was in a wretched condition, being unable to refrain from sin. Man could choose what he desired, but those desires were corrupted and influenced by the sin that was within. Pelagius cleared himself of charges against himself, primarily by hiding his real beliefs, but at the Council of Carthage in 418 A.D., his teachings were branded as heresy. The Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., again denounced 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. The doctrines of Pelagianism were finally put to rest at the Second Synod of Orange in 529 A.D. Pelagianism gave birth to semi-Pelagianism. Although there are differences in the two doctrines, they are very much related and ultimately teach that man has the ability to choose or cooperate with the grace of God. Whereas Pelagianism denied that original sin had any effect on the descendants of Adam and Eve, semi-Pelagianism does not deny that man suffers from the effects of the fall and is considered fallen. However, semi-Pelagianism asserts that there is within the human character an inherent ability to choose or reject the precepts of God. The Grace of God, as extended to the individual, can have no effect unless in accepted by the individual or unless the individual cooperates with that offer by the use of the will. The heresy in both Pelagianism and semi-Pelagianism is the assertion that the will or choice of man takes precedence over the action or sovereignty of God. Both doctrines place God in the secondary position and elevate man to the primary. The actions of man determine the reaction and direction which God will take and, therefore, God is dethroned and man is elevated to the throne of his will. Out of Pelagianism and semi-Pelagianism, came the Arminian theology developed by Jacobus Arminius. Like semi-Pelagianism, Arminianism recognizes the fallen condition of man, but asserts that God grants a type of common grace that overcomes the effects of that fallen condition to the extent that allows man to exercise an ability to choose the precepts of God that is not affected by that fall. Just like in the doctrines of Pelagianism and semi-Pelagianism, Arminianism proposes a belief that is not supported in scripture. There is no teaching in the Scripture that supports the idea of a "common grace" that is granted to man, allowing him to choose the precepts of God. Arminianism is the primary doctrine held by Methodists, many Baptists and those in Pentecostal and other charismatic groups. Arminianism is not necessarily considered to be heretical in nature, but it is certainly a false teaching, because of the assertion that God grants the common grace, something that is not taught in the Scripture and is appended from the outside. However, Arminianism does border on heresy because it places the choice of man above the sovereignty of God and makes God respond and react to the choice and will of man instead of man responding and reacting to the sovereignty of God. There is the teaching in the Scripture that man has the ability to choose and is responsible for at least the rejection of the gospel message. At the same time, the Scripture teaches that God is sovereign in salvation and brings it about by His will and not the will of man. How this ability to choose is reconciled to the sovereignty of God is not explained in the Scripture and the difficulty of resolving the opposite teachings must be left to God. by Gary A. Hand On Doctrine ADDITIONAL RESOURCES On This Website: ARMINIANISM |
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