Pelagius and the Sinfulness of Infants in Augustine's Thought

Document Type : Scientific-research

Authors

1 Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran.

2 Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran.

3 Department of Philosophy and Theology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

In Augustine's thought, human nature is sick because of original sin, and this disease has also made humans incapable of achieving salvation and doing good deeds. Hence, it needs an external factor to be strengthened: grace. The result of Augustine's belief is that babies are guilty of physical birth in such a situation. In the meantime, Pelagius believes that Augustine's approach has results that undermine the tenets of Christian doctrinal principles. First, it deprives God of the attributes of justice and power, while the Bible considers God to be just because the Bible considers God to be Just and seeks a conception of man as a just creature. Secondly, It causes an unfair interpretation of Divine Grace that challenges other inner areas of human beings and reduces them to inefficiency. Therefore, to solve this problem, Pelagius first considers the human will to be free, and in the next step, he introduces human nature as pure and explains it with an Arian approach; he first explains grace and then confronts Augustine's interpretation of Paul. He also considers Augustine's evidence from the Bible metaphorical, thus declaring the infants free from any sin. In this study, we intend to investigate this issue descriptively and refer to original sources.

Keywords

References

Arendt, Hannah. (2014). The Life of The Mind. Translated by Masʿūd Ūliyā. Tehran: Quqnūs. (In Persian)
Augustine. (1887). Anti-Pelagian Works. (P. s, Ed) Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Augustine. (1887a). Of Two Souls, Translated by Albert H. Newman. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 4. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1403.htm>.
Augustine. (1887b). On Marriage and Concupiscence, Translated by Peter Holmes and Robert Ernest Wallis, and revised by Benjamin B. Warfield. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 5. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1887.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1507.htm>.
Augustine. (1890). The City of God. (M. D, trans). (P.S, Ed.). Grand Rapids: Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Augustine. (1948). On the Spirit and Letter. (P. H, trans). London: Random House Publisher.
Augustine. (2001). Four Anti-Pelagian Writings. ( J. A. M, trans) Washington, D.C.: The Catholic University Of America Press.
Augustine. (2004). Against Julian. ( M. A. S, trans) Michigan: Catholic University of America Press.
Augustine. (2006). Confessions. Translated by Afsāneh Najātī. Tehran: Payam-e Nowruz. (In Persian)
Augustine. (2006). Earlier Writings. (J.H.S.B, trans). Louisville:  John Knox Press.
Augustine. (2012). The Trinity. (E. H, trans). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Copleston, Frederick. (2009). A History of Medieval Philosophy. Translated by Ibrahim Dādjū. Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publishing. (In Persian)
Fitzgerald, Allan D (1999). Augustine Through the Ages, An Encyclopedia, Michigan: O.S.A.
Giorgio, Agamben. (2020). The Kingdom and the Garden. (A. K, trans). Kolkata: Seagull Books.
McGrath, Alister. (2013). Christian Theology: An Introduction. Translated by Group. Qom: University of Religions and Denominations. (In Persian)
Pūrsīna, Zahrā. (2006). The Impact of Sin on Knowledge Based on The Views of Saint Augustine. Tehran: Research Institute of Islamic Sciences and Culture. (In Persian)
Rees, B.R. (1998). Pelagius: Life and Letters, Martlesham: Boydell Press.
Rist, J M, (1997). Augustine: Ancient Thought of Baptized. New York: Cambridge university press.
Schreiner, Thomas R. (2018). Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group.
Sproul, R. C. (2021). An Introduction to Systematic Theology. Translated by Nigīn Nūrian Dehkurdī and Saʿīd Mākhānī. Tehran: Daman. (In Persian)
The Mirror of Knowledge
Volume 24, Issue 4 - Serial Number 81
December 2024
Pages 101-120

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics