It's interesting to hear someone talk about Pelagius who is not steeped in Augustinian assumptions (although Ron is certainly more charitable to Augustine than some).
I recently attended a lecture by Greg Balerio in the UK, who is an expert on Celtic Christianity, both from the point of view of history and also as a serious practitioner. From that point of view, Pelagius can be seen to have a far stronger view of grace than Augustine, because for Pelagius, grace was far more than just a way to deal with personal guilt to be passively accepted. Rather, for Pelagius and the Celts, God's grace encompassed, enfolded and covered one's whole life ... we are nested in it and within that grace, we make choices which ARE the activity of the Holy Spirit and live out these choices AS the activity of the Holy Spirit. One could say, IN grace (the very presence of the Spirit) we LIVE, and MOVE, and EXIST. So my living and moving are not supplementary to grace but the actual manifestation or fruit of the Spirit in real life.
I find this very compelling because then choices and actions matter in a way that they seem to matter to Jesus and the authors of the NT.
Excellent series of talks, clearly and succinctly presented. Just one observation, Pelagius did not come from England. England did not exist when he was born or lived. Pelagius came from Britannia. Saying he came from England would be akin to saying that the Cappadocian Fathers came from Turkey.
It's interesting to hear someone talk about Pelagius who is not steeped in Augustinian assumptions (although Ron is certainly more charitable to Augustine than some).
I recently attended a lecture by Greg Balerio in the UK, who is an expert on Celtic Christianity, both from the point of view of history and also as a serious practitioner. From that point of view, Pelagius can be seen to have a far stronger view of grace than Augustine, because for Pelagius, grace was far more than just a way to deal with personal guilt to be passively accepted. Rather, for Pelagius and the Celts, God's grace encompassed, enfolded and covered one's whole life ... we are nested in it and within that grace, we make choices which ARE the activity of the Holy Spirit and live out these choices AS the activity of the Holy Spirit. One could say, IN grace (the very presence of the Spirit) we LIVE, and MOVE, and EXIST. So my living and moving are not supplementary to grace but the actual manifestation or fruit of the Spirit in real life.
I find this very compelling because then choices and actions matter in a way that they seem to matter to Jesus and the authors of the NT.
Posted by: Clarion Journal | December 04, 2012 at 08:29 AM
Illuminating and very helpful Ron, thank you!
Posted by: adit | December 04, 2012 at 07:16 AM
Excellent series of talks, clearly and succinctly presented. Just one observation, Pelagius did not come from England. England did not exist when he was born or lived. Pelagius came from Britannia. Saying he came from England would be akin to saying that the Cappadocian Fathers came from Turkey.
Posted by: Wyn Thomas | December 04, 2012 at 06:05 AM