The Pelagian Controversy: Unraveling Grace and Free Will

1. Lecture 10: Moral Life, Grace and Pelagianism Dr. Ann T. Orlando 13 April 2018

2. How the Jovinian Controversy Became the Pelagian Controversy • Recall from Jovinian • Merit is tied to work performed • Equal reward for each based on their merit • Perils of monasticism • Recall both Jerome and Augustine agree that pride is special sin of celibate • Both Jerome and Augustine concerned that monks (virgins) will view their sacrifices as source of their merit of salvation

3. Biblical Background • Who hardened Pharaoh's Heart? • Pharaoh: Ex 7:13-14, 7:22; 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7, 9:34-35 • God: Ex 9:12, 10:1-2, 10:20, 10:27, 11:9-10, 14:8 • Paul in Romans 9:17 • God and election • God hardened Pharaoh’s heart • This will lead to the question of God’s prevenient grace (monergism) • Associated with this will be (double) predestination • In turn this will quickly lead to the question of fate of unbaptized infants

4. Pelagian Controversy: Introduction • The Key Players • Monk Pelagius, from England, d. 419 in Constantinople • His disciple, Julian of Eclanum, bishop in Sicily, d. 454 • Opposing both, Augustine of Hippo, d. 430 • Key Elements • Free will • Sin • Grace • Justification • Predestination • Key Biblical passages in disputed interpretation: Genesis, Exodus and Romans • Both Pelagius and Augustine write a Commentary on Romans • Note we live in a very Pelagian age: belief in human progress and confidence in our abilities to fix problems. Primary American virtue: self-reliance

5. A (Brief) History of the Pelagian Controversy of the 4th – 5th C, Part I • NB In the 3rd C Cyprian suggests that when infants are baptized, it is not for their own sins but because of the sin of Adam (Cyprian, ep 64) • Lets begin with Augustine’s Ad Simplicianum, Q. 1 and 2 in which Simplician asked about faith and grace in Paul’s Letter to Romans. • While in Rome, Pelagius attacks Augustine’s response in his work On the hardening of Pharaoh's Heart • And he quotes liberally from Augustine’s earlier On Free Will in use against Augustine • Pelagius also contests some of Augustine’s Confessions on the need for grace (see Book X), which leads him to write On Nature • Augustine responds with On Nature and Grace • NB Jerome was avidly anti-Pelagius and very pro-Augustine in this dispute

6. On Nature and Grace (De Natura et Gratia) • Written c. 415 against Pelagius’ On Nature • Human nature was distorted, sickened, by Adam’s sin • Grace, through Jesus Christ, is the remedy for this sickness

7. A (Brief) History, Part II • Pelagius left Rome with some of us supporters for Sicily, and Bishop Julian of Eclanum • The ‘hot button’ issue that Julian and others pointed to was the innocence of infants; • Julian, Pelagius and others wrote extensively on this and Augustine as ‘the tormentor of infants’ • The (only) penalty for Adam’s sin was mortality • Infants have no need for baptism; those who die are thus saved • Augustine responds with The Punishment and Forgiveness of Sins and the Baptism of Little Ones • NB this is a ‘brief’ history because Augustine's writings alone take against the Pelagians takes 4 vol in WSA, not including numerous sermons and letters • Pelagius, Julian of Eclanum and others among the Pelagians wrote nearly as much

8. Pelagian Controversy: Issues • Free will • Pelagian: humanity has total free will; as long as we know what is right we can do what is right; • Augustine: yes we have free will, but our ability to know and act is darkened by sin • Augustine also often means by free will a will freed from the inclination to sin, which is always with us in our mortal state • Sin • Pelagians: Adam’s sin was his personal sin; sin is always a willful personal act committed against God by someone who should know better and be able to do better; within our own power to avoid sin • Adam’s sin was a ‘disease’ that entered into humanity; only God’s grace can cure this disease; only with God’s grace can we really know and do the right

9. Pelagian Controversy: Issues (cont.) • Grace • Pelagians: external enlightenment from God (e.g., Gospels) so we can know the good; also reward for doing good; our nature inherently good • Augustine: grace is needed to do good and to remedy our nature • Justification • Pelagians: justified through our good works • Augustine: only God’s freely given grace can justify • Predestination • Pelagians: God does not predestine us • Augustine: Because of original sin, all justly condemned (massadamnata); by his graciousness, God elects a few for salvation; Baptism a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for salvation

10. Examples from Confessions • Human race from the salty sea of sin (Book XIII) • Grasping, envious desire of infants (Book I) • Relief that his friend and Adeodatus die shortly after baptism (Books IV, IX) • Without God’s grace, sinful will cannot be moved from sin, even when it knows the truth (Books VII-VIII) • Jesus Christ is the necessary Mediator and Physician (Book VII)

11. City of God • The story of the Fall and its implications • Man’s will now a slave to sin, and not really free • Origin of sin is pride; pride led to disobedience • All men justly condemned • Double predestination • CoG XIV, XXI.12

12. Battle with Julian of Eclanum • The key test case in the Pelagian controversy became the fate of unbaptized infants • Would God really condemn an ‘innocent’ baby who had no personal sin to be damned? • Julian of Eclanum pushed Augustine very hard on this point • Referring both to Augustine and Augustine’s concept of God, he said “He is the persecutor of new born children.” • Pelagians believed that because infants and young children could not sin, they did not need to be baptized. Baptism returned one to an innocent state, and gave the grace to lead a sinless life.

13. Augustine’s Response • Because all humans inherited Adam’s sin, we are all liable to damnation • But God knew that we would sin, so He already planned to send Mediator, Jesus Christ • “Now there are many more condemned by vengeance than are released by mercy; and the reason for this is that it should in this way be made plain what was the due of all mankind. For if the due punishment were imposed on all, no one would have the right to criticize the justice of God in that retribution; but the fact that so many are released form it is the ground for heartfelt thanksgiving for the free bounty of our Deliverer.” (City of God, Book XXI) • “Unless infants are baptized, they are manifestly in danger of damnation” (On Forgiveness of Sins and Baptism III) • “Number of elect will replace number of fallen angels” (Enchiridion XXIX)

14. On the Punishment and Forgiveness of Sins and the Baptism of Little Ones • Written c 412 in response to three propositions associated with the Pelagians: • That Adam would have died even if he sinned • That nothing of sin is passed from Adam to his descendants; i.e. there is no inherited original sin • In this life there are some who do not sin • These propositions called into question the necessity of Baptism • Augustine’s response is a stinging rebuttal in 3 Books

15. Part III: ‘Semi-Pelagiansim’ • The term comes from the 16th C dispute between Dominicans and Jesuits • But applied anachronistically to the 5th C Western debate • The issue is our free will (or not) to cooperate with God’s grace • John Cassian (360-345); monk and ‘importer’ of Pachomius Rule to southern Gaul • Opposed to Pelagius • But we can make the first move toward God’s grace • Also believed we had some free will to either accept or reject God’s grace • Did not seem to believe in strict predestination, especially double predestination • Today, Cassian might be referred to as a synergist

16. The Second Council of Orange (529) • Called and presided by Caesarius of Arles. • Primary concern was Pelagianism and Augustine’s teaching, and the variation of John Cassian. • For the most part, accepted Augustine's teaching • But included a statement of faith that after baptism, the faithful have the power and duty to perform all that is necessary for salvation with the aid and co-operation of Christ.

17. Continuing Scholarly Question about Augustine on Free Will • Key question: did Augustine’s views on free will change over time, especially during Pelagian controversy? • Two schools of thought about Augustine’s views • Continuity theorists • Discontinuity theorists • Among continuity theorists, 2 opposing views • Augustine starts and remains a libertarian (i.e., one who believes we have complete free will and action) • OR, Augustine starts and remains a compatibilist (i.e., one who believes we have freedom of action which is compatible with God’s predestination of us) • Among discontinuity theorists • Augustine begins as a libertarian, but moves to being a compatibilist • Historians of philosophy read Augustine on free will so variously that • “…it is sometimes difficult to believe they are reading the same texts.” Eleonore Stump, Cambridge Companion to Augustine, p. 166.

18. Aquinas • Ia Q 23 Predestination • Emphasis on God’s foreknowledge • Just as some evil is necessary for a greater good, so also condemnation of some is necessary for God’s greater providential plan Ia Q48 • Ignorance of Gospel is no excuse, since this may also be part of God’s plan Ia Q2 a 79 • IaIIae Q 109 Need for Grace, Q113 Justification and Q114 Merit • Context is more sacramental efficacy of penance

19. Background to Reformation: Indulgences • The economics of indulgences at odds with the economy of salvation • What drives Luther to radical action is selling indulgences to pay for the office of bishopric of Mainz • The Church cannot offer a way to buy into heaven • Only God’s grace can do that

20. Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536) • Augustinian canon • Humanist who encouraged return to Bible and early Fathers of Church as a way to reform Church • Scripture as the philosophy of Christ • Optimistic about man’s ability to know and understand; ancient maxim that if one knows what is right, one will do it • Detailed textual work on Bible and Augustine • Greek New Testament with commentary most important biblical scholarship since Jerome • Most famous scholar of his time

21. Luther on Justification • We cannot in any way save ourselves • Grace is God’s free gift to the sinner • Righteousness of God in Rom 1:16-17 means that only God can make us righteous • Our response is faith; that is trust in the One who saves us • Faith is passive, God is active • The true Christian is both sinner and justified (by God) • NB: Justification is the root of Lutheran theology.

22. Luther on Predestination • God is in control of our fate • Without predestination, implies elements of chance in God’s providence • True Christian would gladly go to hell if that is God’s will

23. Luther-Erasmus Debates on Free Will • Recall that Erasmus was also a reformer • In some ways replay of Pelagian controversy • Erasmus writes a book, called On Free Will, like Augustine wrote early in his career • In response Luther writes a book called On Bondage of Will, makes points similar to Augustine against Pelagius on need for grace, predestination • As in Pelagian controversy, how does one interpret Paul’s Letter to Romans? In particular, “Who hardened Pharaoh’s Heart” Rom 9:17-18; see also Exodus • Do not forget context of Paul’s Letter to Romans • This tension has been on-going in Christianity

24. Calvin and Free Will • Institutes II.2 The destitute state of man after sin • The destruction of the will • Augustine vs Chrysostom

25. Calvin and Predestination • Institutes III.23 • Complete agreement with Augustine on predestination and reprobation (double predestination) • Explicit defense of Augustine against late Medieval and Renaissance theologians and philosophers

26. Jansenism • Cornelius Jansen (1585-1638), bishop of Ypres • Wanted to restore true place of honor in theology to Augustine in the Catholic faith; Augustinus • Focused on Pelagianism • Man completely corrupt after the Fall • Need for grace from Church and sacraments • Major battle with Jesuits, Molina, championed free will and works cooperating with grace • Jansenism became a potent political force in France after Jansen’s death • Port Royal Convent • Blaise Pascal (1588-1651) • Jansenism condemned in 1653

27. Joint Lutheran-Catholic Statement on Justification • Move toward Catholic-Lutheran accord on Justification • Recognizing importance of grace in justification • But also that works are sign of faith • Available at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html

28. Issue is (and will always be) active • Camus addressing Dominican abbey: “By what right may a Christian accuse me of pessimism? It was not I who invented human suffering, nor terrible formulas of divine malediction. It was not I who loudly proclaimed the damnation of unbaptized children.” • See CCC 404-406, 1037, 1257-1261 • This debate will always circle back to how can the good creator God allow (cause) sin and suffering

29. Recent Statement on Unbaptized Infants • Vatican Theological Commission released statement on limbo and hope for unbaptized infants (2007) • Note historical contexting of Augusitne • Available at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070419_un-baptised-infants_en.html

30. Assignments • To Simplician, Answer to Q1 and Q2 in Augustine: Earlier Christian Writings • On Nature and Grace 1.1-60.70 • The Punishment and Forgiveness of Sins and the Baptism of Little Ones Book I, 1.1-25.38 • Sermon 294 • Canons of Council of Orange

31. Some Works Consulted • Hwang, Alexander et al. Grace for Grace. Washington DC: Catholic University Press, 2014. • Harmless, William. “Christ the Pediatrician,” Augustinian Studies 28-2 (1997) • Bonner, Gerald. “Augustine and Pelagianism,” Augustinian Studies 24 (1993). • Dupont, Anthony. Gratia in Augustine’s Sermones Ad Populum During the Pelagian Controversy. Leiden: Brill, 2013. • Jenkins, Eric. Free to Say No? Free Will and Augustine’s Evolving Doctrines of Grace and Election. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2012. •  Cyr, Taylor and Flummer, Matthew. “Free Will, grace, and anti-Pelagianism,” Intl. J. Philosophy of Religion 83:183-199, 12 April 2017.