Pelagianism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A theological doctrine emphasizing that human beings can choose to follow God without the need for divine grace
2. a belief that denies the inherent sinful nature of humans and promotes the idea of free will in achieving salvation
3. the view that moral responsibility lies solely with the individual, disregarding the necessity of grace or intervention from a higher power

Etymology: Pelagianism takes its name from Pelagius, a British-born monk who taught in Rome in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. His core claim was that human beings are not born corrupted by Adam's sin and can choose to live without sin through their own effort, with God's grace serving as a helpful aid rather than a necessity. Opponents, above all Augustine of Hippo, argued that original sin left humanity unable to save itself, and their dispute became one of the defining controversies of early Western Christianity. Pelagius himself wrote little that survives in full, so the belief is known largely through his critics. The movement was condemned at church councils in the early 400s, and the label stuck to any view that seemed to shrink the role of grace. The name is built in the ordinary way: "Pelagian" is the adjective and noun for a follower of Pelagius, and the suffix "-ism" turns it into the name of the doctrine.