Controversy between Augustine and Pelagius - Coursework Example

Controversy between Augustine and Pelagius Insert Name Tutor Date Introduction Augustine and Pelagius were renowned theologists of the early centuries whose contribution to theology has affected Christianity up to today. Augustian’s Christianity life was characterized by a lot of delight in practicing Christian life more than teaching about Christianity. His life is greatly emulated by many Christians. Pelagius life was not different and he also delighted in following Jesus’ teachings and his scriptures concerning human morals. He strictly imitated and followed the teaching of Christ. Pelagius was a British monk and also a Christian teacher whose ideas on original sin and free will were greatly opposed by Saint Augustine who came up with string doctrines regarding these matters. The two theologists however differed on various others issues and their controversy is discussed in this paper1. Controversy between Augustine and Pelagius Several Theological ideas between Augustine and Pelagius are however different. The main controversy between the two is that Augustine believed that man was created, and in the image of God and therefore he had freedom and will but all was lost when Adam committed the fist sin. This therefore means that all human beings have an original sin whose consequence is a divine penalty. This sin is however taken away during baptism and he therefore insists on the importance of infant baptism. Agustin also states that salvation of man is endorsed by grace and faith and that faith is work of grace2. This idea is different from what Pelagius believed in. Pelagius believed that even through every man was crated just like Adam by God, we all have the freedom to do good or evil. However, the original sin does not belong to everyone since sin is a matter of evil which is a matter of the will. Therefore man can live sinless and can also save himself by through doing good works. Pelagius therefore states that infant baptism is not important because sin is not inherited and therefore new born children have no sin. Therefore salvation is possible by following the good example of Christ because Adam’s example was a bad one3. Pelagius put a lot of emphasis on the issues of the original sin and moral hopelessness in man where Pelagius believed that in human nature, Christians can achieve too little on their own efforts but they can achieve much because of God and the church. In his letter to his disciple Demetrias, he states that whenever he speaks regarding moral instruction and holy living, he is usually accustomed to point out the quality of human nature and what it is capable of accomplishing4. Pelagius was therefore trying to differ with Augustine because Augustine’s view on the original sin was that the first human sinners were the first two people that God had created. That is, Adam and Eve. This is because they freely decided to eat the fruit that had been forbidden. Therefore since then all human beings have sin. He further states that most human beings who are mentioned in the Bible are sinners or in company of sinners except Jesus Christ. He explains that children enter that world without innocence because they are already bound in Adam’s original sin. His point therefore is that human beings have fallen away from God and therefore Gods grace is needed for their salvation. Therefore according to him, the single most rite of cleansing away the original sin is through infant baptism5. In trying to separate death from sin, Pelagius teachings were that Adam was created to be an earthly being and he could have still died even if he did not commit the sin. Adam’s sin only affected him and was not passed to any other descendant and therefore infants are born in the state which Adam was before he sinned. He therefore stated that even the unbaptised infants will have eternal life. According to him, the law directs humans to heaven same as the gospel does and therefore even during the old covenant, some people lived without any sin6. Augustine on the other hand linked death to the original sin by referring to Paul’s teachings that death reigns in the whole world and there is no exception to this. He states that God had warned Adam that the day he will eat the forbidden fruit he will die. Therefore according to Augustine, death is the universal judgment for sin. Pelagius however agree that Adam’s death was a consequence of sin but argues that Adam was a bad example and therefore all his descendants imitate that bad example7. Regarding the issues of free will, Augustine insists on grace more than free will. He stated that human free will can at times become the slave of lust just through the will of the mind. In showing the relationship between human happiness and free will, he explains that if God makes a human being to be happy, the happiness comes through necessity and not through the exercise of free will. In his book City of God, he stated that human beings’ wills have the power to do all what God wanted them to do and what he foresaw them capable of doing. Therefore whatever they do, God foresaw that they could do it and that they will do it. Therefore human beings are not in any means being compelled to abandon free choice and practice divine knowledge8. In his other view, he says that God gave Adam and the angels free will. Therefore the free will is good since it comes from God and is a characteristic of a rational being. It is therefore an intermediate good and can decide either to do good or evil. Therefore according to Augustine, the problem of free will comes because of evil. He therefore believed that the problem of free will has no solution but this can lead to development of some skills for developing a metaphysical alternative. Pelagius further differed with Augustine on the issues of free will by deeply holding that human beings posses absolute freedom for their will and are therefore fully responsible for their personal sins. Be therefore believed that there was no need for divine grace because humans are able to control their actions whether to be good or evil. According to Pelagius, God knew what humans needed even as he was creating the human nature and also knew that the humans were capable of obeying all the commands that he gave. He therefore states that humans have pure freedom such as the one Adam possessed before his fall and therefore for one to be able to exercise this freedom properly, one must become a servant of God because it is only in serving God that perfect freedom can be achieved9. The two further differed on the humans’ ability to fulfill Gods command because Pelagius believed that of God commands human to do something, humans will certainly be able to do what God has commanded. According to him, God would not command something that is impossible because this would be setting his creatures up for a failure. Augustine on the other hand disagreed with this position by saying that it is only by Grace and help of God that assists humans to avoid sin. He argues that human beings are not in any way able to do any good apart from by God’s grace. God takes his grace to humans and that humans do not receive that grace because of their good works. However once the person accepts that God’s grace, he gains that ability to do good. Augustine definers this good as loving God as God loves humans and loving others the same was that God loves them. However he concludes that because of the fall of humans, they cannot be able to follow God as a result of their own ability10. Another issue in the controversy between Pelagius and Augustine is that Pelagius gives esteem to both God and humans. Be believed that even human beings should be praised because of willing and doing good. Therefore praises belong to both man and God. This is in contrast to Augustine’s view that glory should only be given to God. He says that this is according to the scripture especially on the fact that humans are incapable of doing good and seeking God. He believed that God is the one who saves humans; he is the highest and most supreme being and is therefore the only one who deserves all the glory. According to him, any human being who may try to reach that level would be trying to dethrone God11. Conclusion The main controversial ideas between the two theologists are on the original sin and free will. Augustine believes that all infants are born with sin which must be cleansed through infant baptism while Pelagius believes that infants are born innocent and there is no need for baptism. According to him, Adam’s sin was not transmitted to his descendants. Therefore the two arguments form a basis for the decision by the church regarding infant baptism. The issue is the free will where Augustine believes that humans cannot lead a sin free life with the guidance of the free will. They can only achieve this through the grace if God. Therefore according to him, free will comes from God and it is through his grace that humans are able to choose to do good as God commanded. On the other hand, Pelagius believed that humans have the freedom to choose between good and evil and they don’t need God’s grace. He argues that God commands what he is sure that humans will be able to fulfill. The two theologists have however differed on various other issues. Bibliography Ormerod, N. (1992). Grace & Disgrace: A Theology of Self-Esteem, Society and History. Australia: E.J. Dwyer. Griffiths, P. (2004). Lying: An Augustinian Theology of Duplicity. Grand Rapid, MI: Brazos Press. Rees, B. (1998). Pelagius Life and Letters: Pelagius: A Reluctant Heretic. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. Grudem, W. (2007). Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (England: Inter- Varsity Press. Olson, R. (1999). The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform. England: Inter-Varsity Press. Dahlin, K. (2002). The Major Issues in the Augustinian-Pelagian Controversy. Retrieved on 29th May 2013 from http://waysoflife.com/HISTORY/PELAGIUS%20AND%20AUGUSTINE%20DEBATE. htm Frend, W.H.C. (1986). The rise of Christianity. Darton: Longman & Todd. Bonner, G. (1963). Augustine of Hippo: Life and Controversies. Norwich: The Canterbury Press. Fred, W.H.C (1985). Saints and sinners in the early church: differing and conflicting traditions in the first six centuries. Darton: Longman & Todd. Read More

Therefore since then all human beings have sin. He further states that most human beings who are mentioned in the Bible are sinners or in company of sinners except Jesus Christ. He explains that children enter that world without innocence because they are already bound in Adam’s original sin. His point therefore is that human beings have fallen away from God and therefore Gods grace is needed for their salvation. Therefore according to him, the single most rite of cleansing away the original sin is through infant baptism5.

In trying to separate death from sin, Pelagius teachings were that Adam was created to be an earthly being and he could have still died even if he did not commit the sin. Adam’s sin only affected him and was not passed to any other descendant and therefore infants are born in the state which Adam was before he sinned. He therefore stated that even the unbaptised infants will have eternal life. According to him, the law directs humans to heaven same as the gospel does and therefore even during the old covenant, some people lived without any sin6.

Augustine on the other hand linked death to the original sin by referring to Paul’s teachings that death reigns in the whole world and there is no exception to this. He states that God had warned Adam that the day he will eat the forbidden fruit he will die. Therefore according to Augustine, death is the universal judgment for sin. Pelagius however agree that Adam’s death was a consequence of sin but argues that Adam was a bad example and therefore all his descendants imitate that bad example7.

Regarding the issues of free will, Augustine insists on grace more than free will. He stated that human free will can at times become the slave of lust just through the will of the mind. In showing the relationship between human happiness and free will, he explains that if God makes a human being to be happy, the happiness comes through necessity and not through the exercise of free will. In his book City of God, he stated that human beings’ wills have the power to do all what God wanted them to do and what he foresaw them capable of doing.

Therefore whatever they do, God foresaw that they could do it and that they will do it. Therefore human beings are not in any means being compelled to abandon free choice and practice divine knowledge8. In his other view, he says that God gave Adam and the angels free will. Therefore the free will is good since it comes from God and is a characteristic of a rational being. It is therefore an intermediate good and can decide either to do good or evil. Therefore according to Augustine, the problem of free will comes because of evil.

He therefore believed that the problem of free will has no solution but this can lead to development of some skills for developing a metaphysical alternative. Pelagius further differed with Augustine on the issues of free will by deeply holding that human beings posses absolute freedom for their will and are therefore fully responsible for their personal sins. Be therefore believed that there was no need for divine grace because humans are able to control their actions whether to be good or evil.

According to Pelagius, God knew what humans needed even as he was creating the human nature and also knew that the humans were capable of obeying all the commands that he gave. He therefore states that humans have pure freedom such as the one Adam possessed before his fall and therefore for one to be able to exercise this freedom properly, one must become a servant of God because it is only in serving God that perfect freedom can be achieved9. The two further differed on the humans’ ability to fulfill Gods command because Pelagius believed that of God commands human to do something, humans will certainly be able to do what God has commanded.

According to him, God would not command something that is impossible because this would be setting his creatures up for a failure. Augustine on the other hand disagreed with this position by saying that it is only by Grace and help of God that assists humans to avoid sin.

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