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“As the Pelagians do vainly talk”. Part Six: Heresies about salvation and morality 21 November 2010. A few words of introduction. We have left behind the domain of creedal heresies. By my original definition, the heresies we’ll consider today don’t actually count as heresies.
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“As the Pelagians do vainly talk” Part Six: Heresies about salvation and morality 21 November 2010
A few words of introduction • We have left behind the domain of creedal heresies. • By my original definition, the heresies we’ll consider today don’t actually count as heresies. • But tough. • Why have I combined soteriological heresies with moral heresies?
Pelagianism • A quick definition: Pelagianism is the view that human beings retain the freedom necessary to lead a morally good life without divine grace. • Pelagius (c. 355-c. 435) was a British monk who taught in Rome in the late 4th and early 5th centuries. • He is a convenient villain for some, an unfairly maligned hero for others.
Why the revisionism about Pelagius? • Hostility to Augustine • The “Celtic spirituality” craze • Philip Newell argues that Pelagius was criticized for (a) “his practice of teaching women to read the Bible” and (b) “his conviction that in the newborn child the image of God is to be seen.” • The “It’s all about politics” crowd • Newell again: “the forces which moved against him [in 418] were primarily political.”
What really happened? • Pelagius was primarily a moral reformer, not a theologian. • He thought all Christians should be held to the highest moral standards because all Christians are capable of living up to the highest moral standards. • He found an ally in Celestius, another native of Britain teaching in Rome.
The teaching of Celestius • Adam’s sin harmed only himself, not the human race as a whole, except insofar as Adam set a bad example. • Children are born in the same state as Adam before his fall. There is no original sin transmitted from parents to children. • We can, by our own free choice, resist sin and choose to act righteously.
Pelagius, “Letter to Demetrias” “We cry out at God and say, ‘This is too hard! This is too difficult! We cannot do it! We are only human, and hindered by the weakness of the flesh!’ . . . What blatant presumption! By doing this, we accuse the God of knowledge of a twofold ignorance: ignorance of his own creation and ignorace of his own commands. . . . God has not willed to command anything impossible, for God is righteous; he will not condemn people for what they cannot help doing.”
Enter Augustine (again) • Augustine made a sharp distinction between human nature as originally created and human nature as it is after Adam’s fall. • For Augustine, sin is a sexually transmitted disease. • Grace is necessary if we are to use our freedom rightly.
More on Augustine • Augustine thought Pelagius was theologically naïve; Pelagius thought Augustine was morally lax. • For Augustine, Pelagianism goes wrong in much the same way that Donatism goes wrong.
Article IX, Of Original or Birth-Sin • Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit. . . .
Article X, Of Free-Will • The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith; and calling upon God. Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.
Collect for Proper 23 • Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Some theological issues • Does human choice contribute anything at all to salvation? (aka “Everyone needs to be a little bit Pelagian somewhere”) • Peter Abelard (1079-1142) and the doctor analogy (cf. the life preserver analogy) • What about “synergy”? • Accusing people of Pelagianism is cheap and easy. • The one thing I’m sure about is that Calvinism is false.
