pelagisiin

Pelagisiin refers to the adherents of Pelagianism, a historical Christian doctrine attributed to Pelagius, a theologian active in the late 4th and early 5th centuries. Pelaginians argued that human beings can achieve salvation through their own free will and efforts, with divine grace acting primarily as instruction or encouragement rather than as a transformative necessity. They typically maintained that original sin did not deprive humanity of the ability to choose good and that people possess an inherent capacity to follow God’s commandments without being inherently unable to do so.

Key features of Pelagian thought include emphasis on human merit, the sufficiency of natural virtues, and a view of grace as a set of moral aids rather than a necessity for justification. In this framework, divine grace helps people to know and do good, but it does not strictly determine or override human agency in the process of salvation.

The position was controversial within early Christianity. It faced strong opposition from Augustine of Hippo and was condemned by various church authorities and councils, most notably in the early 5th century. Critics argued that Pelagianism downplayed or denied the necessity of grace for forgiveness, transformation, and the remission of sin, and that it minimized the impact of original sin on human nature.

In later theological discussions, the term pelagianism has been used to describe positions perceived as overemphasizing human ability in the process of salvation. Some middle-ground formulations, often called semi-Pelagianism, sought to describe grace and human effort as cooperating from the outset. Today, Pelagianism is generally rejected in mainstream Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant theology, with emphasis placed on the indispensable role of divine grace in salvation.