The doctrines of Pelagius.
Pelagianism was a 5th-century heresy taught by Pelagius and his followers which stressed that humans have the ability to fulfill the commands of God apart from Sovereign grace, and which denies original sin. Pelagius' teachings were opposed by the Church and it's leading figure (Augustine) in particular. Simi Pelagianism: Later, John Cassian's doctrine in a compromise between the Pelagius view and the Augustine view surfaced. This doctrine taught man was not dead in tresspass and sin, just sick. That man was only weakened by the fall and that man had the ability to save himself by accepting or rejecting of his own will, Christ's offer. Pelagius himself was excommunicated, and his theology condemned by a series of church councils, though the issues of the doctrine of free will have remained a sore point for the Church even to our day. The Church looks on the three positions as, St. Augustine regarding natural man as dead, Pelagius regarding him as alive and well, and Cassian regarding him as being merely sick. Augustine's position being the only one that leans entirely on the Sovereign mercies of God. [ back
In Christian theology, the doctrine that sinful humans can achieve reconciliation with God initiated by their own beliefs, actions, and/or works.
The theological doctrine propounded by Pelagius, a British monk, and condemned as heresy by the Roman Catholic Church in A.D. 416. It denied original sin and affirmed the ability of humans to be righteous by the exercise of free will.
The teachings of Pelagius denying original sin and advocating that man has sufficient goodness in himself to choose what is right and the free will to make that choice[ Semi-Pelagianism acknowledges that man needs grace in order to be saved, but denies that this grace is irresistible or prior to man making an initial decision
The belief that mankind has an innate ability to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation on his own. This stems from the belief that man is morally able to make decision for either good or evil from a total free will. Declared to be heresy and non-christian.
An understanding of how humans are able to merit their salvation which is diametrically opposed to that of Augustine of Hippo, placing considerable emphasis upon the role of human works and playing down the idea of divine grace.
the belief that human beings have the ability to save themselves apart from God's grace and the work of Christ. The teaching is named for Pelagius, a British monk who traveled in the Mediterranean world around AD 400. Pelagianism was opposed by Augustine and condemned by the Council of Ephesus (AD 431).
Pelagianism is the belief that original sin did not taint human nature (which, being created from God, was divine), and that mortal will is still capable of choosing good or evil without Divine aid. Thus, Adam's sin was "to set a bad example" for his progeny, but his actions did not have the other consequences imputed to Original Sin. Pelagianism views the role of Jesus as "setting a good example" for the rest of humanity (thus counteracting Adam's bad example).
