Augustine vs Pelagius

Question 1

Human nature

Answer 1

Pelagius - we cannot have a fallen nature, if we did then God would be giving us a command we can’t follow by telling us to be Holy

Question 2

Sin

Answer 2

Pelagius - said Augustine was wrong and it is possible (if extremely difficult) to live life without sinning: sin is only a sin if you chose to do it

Question 3

Guilt/Original Sin

Answer 3

Augustine claimed we are all sinners from birth due to OS, which is passed down by sex at conception
Pelagius - we are created like Adam, which means in the same state: therefore we only become sinners when we actually sin

Question 4

Death

Answer 4

Augustine - death is the punishment for sin
Pelagius - death is biologically necessary for our bodies - it is not a punishment

Question 5

Grace

Answer 5

Augustine - humans can only do good things by God’s grace
Pelagius - grace helps us but it is humans who actually do the good things; in this scenario, grace is our God-given faculties (similar to Aquinas)

Question 6

Salvation

Answer 6

Augustine - undeserved gift from God; the parable of the workers shows that God does not reward actions; Pelagius downplays the role of grace
Pelagius - humans use their free will to choose God

Question 7

Suffering

Answer 7

Augustine - all suffering is a deserved punishment for OS
Pelagius - Augustine makes God seem arbitrary in punishing babies

Question 8

God

Answer 8

Augustine - shows his benevolence through grace; He is not to blame for evil as evil is a privation of good
Pelagius - It would be unjust of God to condemn people for sins they could not help, and it would be unfair to give unfollowable orders - so God would not do it

Question 9

Jesus

Answer 9

Augustine - is the expression of God’s grace, and how people are saved
Pelagius - good people such as Moses lived before Jesus (were they sent to Hell)