Pelagius brought up good points that are often ignored. First, he argued that humanity has salvation through God's "original grace." This prevenient grace is God's free gift to humanity. Second, Pelagius sugguested that humanity has a "grace of revelation" whereby God gives us divine guidence to follow, if we so choose to follow it. Scripture and Christ both point the way we are to follow. Third, he affirmed that God gives the "grace of pardon" to those who freely change their lives and attempt to live faithfully. So we have a morally neutral human condition that is faced with the decision of choosing between faith and sin, good and bad.
For Pelagius, our human condition isn't defined by original sin, yet he still understands that our lives are impacted by sin. He says, "By force of habit, sin attains a power akin to that of nature - sin becomes as it were 'second nature'." Therefore, he takes the reality of sin seriously. But he also thinks that we have the power and responsibility to overcome this "force of habit" through God's grace and guidence. And that is where Augustine departs from Pelagius. Augustine relinquishes human responsibility.
Pelagius wanted Christians to live according to the Gospel instead of according to the Roman Empire. His theology demanded change. It questioned the status quo of the increasingly institutionalized Church in Rome. It made those in power uneasy. It made the morally lax look responsible for changing their own lives. It made people realize they were wasting the gift of life, which God gave humanity, by choosing sinful behaviors. It made this charge to every Christian: "You must avoid that broad path which is worn away by the thronging multitude on their way to their death and continue to follow the rough track of that narrow path to eternal life which few find."
Pelagius' theology was a realistic description of human responsibility and God's graciousness. It wasn't perversely optimistic like the Social Gospel movement and it wasn't perversely pessimistic like Augustine. It was a "third way" between the two extremes. Pelagius says it well in his own words: "I did indeed say that a man can be without sin and keep the commandments of God, if he wishes, for this ability has been given to him by God. However, I did not say that any man can be found who has never sinned from his infancy up to his old age, but that, having been converted from his sins, he can be without sin by his own efforts and God's grace, yet not even by this means is he incapable of change for the future."
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon
Subscribe
boom shaka laka?
i see nothing wrong with Mr. Trooper and find no falsehood in his statements.
an encouraging statement
well played sir
It's not just the NeoReformed who would speak out against defending Pelagianism. There was after all the Second Council of Orange in 529. This council, while not affirming all of Augustine, did rule out Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism for the West.
Tim B, exactly. And add to that the fact that some of the most outspoken critics of Pelagianism in all of its various forms have been classical Arminians.
I wonder how hard it is to have a meaningful conversation when so much time and energy is spent building your enemy (neoreformed). Does this actually build the kingdom in anyway? Do these derogatory labels and labels foster fellowship? Or only create division and discord.
I wonder is there any other group, Muslim, Jew, Atheist, gay, who you would malign or is your animosity reserved for your self constructed "bad guy."
I was one of those who had so much hope when "A New Kind Of Christian" dropped in what seems like decades ago. I thought the conversation was really going to be something different and focused on loving our enemies and being the Church. I am sad that it seems it is more just a return to liberalism with a ferocious desire to demonize conservatives. History truly is a merry go round.
Ryan "I thought the conversation was really going to be something different and focused on loving our enemies and being the Church. I am sad that it seems it is more just a return to liberalism with a ferocious desire to demonize conservatives. History truly is a merry go round."
Very interesting observation.
Post a Comment
By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.