Read on Twitter
Okay I LITERALLY just changed my bio to “Pelagian heretic” yesterday, so we are gonna talk about this. https://twitter.com/brianzahnd/status/1348664313423273985
For those of you who did not grow up constantly having church history thrown at you, let me introduce you to one of the defining moments in modern Christian theology.
In this corner, we have Pelagius, a British monk and one of the first theologians of the British Isles.
In this corner, we have Augustine, a bishop of the North African church, and reformed libertine/sex pest.
In this corner, we have Augustine, a bishop of the North African church, and reformed libertine/sex pest.
Now the common framing of their disagreement, mostly based on Augustine’s writings, is that Pelagius believed in salvation through works and not through faith in Christ, but that’s not actually where they broke.
(Sorry called away)
In order to understand what happened, it helps to know that Augustine had been deeply traumatized by his life of hedonism, and was VERY grateful for his conversion.
Based on study and his own experiences, Augustine became a hardcore advocate of the doctrine of original sin.
Based on study and his own experiences, Augustine became a hardcore advocate of the doctrine of original sin.
The doctrine of original sin says that everyone, from the moment of conception and/or birth, is fundamentally tainted. We are all sinners at heart, naturally selfish and rebellious against God.
This doctrine informs EVERYTHING about the modern Evangelical church, btw.
This doctrine informs EVERYTHING about the modern Evangelical church, btw.
Those of us who grew up with the DOOS were told that the world was basically evil. That we couldn’t trust our own hearts and instincts because they would lead us away from God, and that everyone deserved hell, but could be shown mercy.
Pelagius said fuck that noise.
Pelagius said fuck that noise.
Pelagius said we were all born in the image of God. That looking into a newborn baby was to look into the face of God.
He viewed sin as an invading army we needed help battling, not a fundamental part of human nature.
He viewed sin as an invading army we needed help battling, not a fundamental part of human nature.
Augustine HATED that idea. He hated it so much he tried to get Pelagius excommunicated several times and finally succeeded. After his death he was condemned as a heretic.
Most of what we know about Pelagius comes from Augustine, (who was a super impartial source obviously 
) but we do have some of his writings, most famously his letter to a woman named Demetrias. You can find it here:
http://www.pelagius.net/demetrias.htm
) but we do have some of his writings, most famously his letter to a woman named Demetrias. You can find it here:http://www.pelagius.net/demetrias.htm
Essentially, Pelagius believed that all people held the light and image of God, that pagans were capable of doing good, and that the ability to do good, and the freedom to choose came from God.
Augustine believed sin was passed down to children like an STD through conception.
Augustine believed sin was passed down to children like an STD through conception.
Pelagius’s work reflected and greatly influenced the Celtic church in the British Isles.
Augustine’s doctrine of original sin was adopted as an essential part of the faith by Rome.
The fruits of those two doctrines have been vastly different.
Augustine’s doctrine of original sin was adopted as an essential part of the faith by Rome.
The fruits of those two doctrines have been vastly different.
So when Josh Hawley says we’re here because of Pelagius, he’s not just saying we’re here because people want to run their own lives without God.
He’s saying we’re here because we no longer treat other humans as fundamentally evil at heart.
He’s saying we’re here because we no longer treat other humans as fundamentally evil at heart.
A fundamental fruit of the DOOS is that only Christians can be truly good and truly happy because only Christians have been rescued from mankind’s essential state of darkness.
Which means only Christians governing with Christian principles can truly be good for the country.
Which means only Christians governing with Christian principles can truly be good for the country.
If you want to understand how deeply the doctrine of original sin effects our culture and politics, take a look at the #exvangelical tag and check out the work of @C_Stroop.
JH is far from the only one who believes in Christian supremacy.
JH is far from the only one who believes in Christian supremacy.
Imagine if Pelagius had won and become a defining theologian of the western church.
Imagine a church that went out into the world expecting to find the light and image of God in all people everywhere.
Imagine what we could have had if Augustine had found a good therapist.
Imagine a church that went out into the world expecting to find the light and image of God in all people everywhere.
Imagine what we could have had if Augustine had found a good therapist.
