Pelagius and Augustine in St. Louis

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An age-old contest is about to play out again at the 2019 United Methodist Church's General Conference in St. Louis – the contest between a Pelagian and Augustinian view of Christianity. We do not see it this way because we describe the contest in other ways, e.g. progressive/conservative, Uniting Methodists/Wesleyan Covenant Association. But when you remove the labels, the content is one the Church has seen since at least the 5th century.

These two theological perspectives are detailed and nuanced. They overlap in observable ways. Even more, elements of both theologies are found in John Wesley and in the Wesleyan tradition. [1] There's no way to delve into all that in a blog, so I will cut to the chase and describe how these two views will collide in St. Louis. The collision point is essentially how delegates answer the question, "What kind of church do we want to be?"

The Pelagian view posits an existential (organic, life-oriented) basis for the Church, rooted in the goodness of creation and the sacredness of the imago dei in humanity. Its theological energy comes from Genesis 1 & 2, with a keynote of original righteousness. It is rooted in love, with grace mediated through the Spirit. The Wisdom tradition of the Old Testament, Wisdom Jesus, and the apostle John are the biblical carriers of the view, with an agricultural (vine/branch) imagery that produces the fruit of the Spirit in people. This view emphasizes universals, relationships, and is unitive in its thinking. From these elements, an inclusive ecclesiology emerges.

The Augustinian view posits an institutional (organizational, belief-oriented) basis for the Church, the fallenness of creation and the depravity of humanity. Its theological energy comes from Genesis 3, with a keynote on original sin. It is rooted in law, with grace mediated through the system. The Torah Tradition of the Old Testament, Law-giver Jesus, and the apostle Paul are its biblical carriers, with a courtroom (guilt/innocence) imagery. This view emphasizes boundaries, regulations, and is dualistic in its thinking. From these elements an exclusionary ecclesiology emerges. [2]

With respect to ecclesiology, John Wesley favored the Pelagian view, seeking to renew the Church of England in ways that made it more inclusive, and designing Methodism as a means to express that spirit in an Anglicanism he believed had become too Augustinian. Methodism was an "ecclesiola en ecclesia" (a little church in the big Church), a movement seeking to renew the Body of Christ through a theology of love, not legalism. The doors of early Methodism were open to people the established Church had marginalized, judged, and excluded. [3]

From February 23-27, Pelagius and Augustine will once again square off in St. Louis, contending for the soul of the church. We can only hope that Pelagius will prevail--and that the future of the UMC will exist with the keynote of inclusion rooted in love for all. But in our Methodist history that has not always been the case. Once again, we wait. And...we pray.

[1] Wesley called Pelagius "a wise and holy man," not deserving to be deemed a heretic. Wesley felt Augustine leveled the charge out of anger, not fact. Wesley developed his theology of original righteousness, the nature of humanity (imago dei), soteriology, and sanctification (the nature and activity of grace) from such people as John Chrysostom, John Cassian (e.g. Conference 13), the Cappadocian Fathers, Macarius the Egyptian, Pelagius, and Arminian Anglicans (e.g. Lancelot Andrewes) more than from Augustine and Calvin. And the Methodist movement had a more inclusive spirit than was present in much of the Anglicanism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Puritanism in the 18th century.

[2] John Philip Newell, 'Listening to the Heartbeat of God' (Paulist Press, 1997), chapter 1. Newell describes key differences between Pelagius and Augustine. Britain embraced a Pelagian view more than other parts of Roman Catholicism did, and that embrace came in time to influence John Wesley, particularly in his emphasis on a theology of grace and love (he called "religion of the heart") more than one of law and belief (he called "dead orthodoxy").

[3] Part of Wesley's inclusive spirit came from his observation of Peter's experience at Cornelius' house in Acts 10. Wesley's explanatory note on Acts 10:34-36 drew the circle of God's acceptance of people (including people of other religions) far wider than some other Christians could abide, and he was roundly criticized for his openness.

The Rev. Dr. Steve Harper is a retired clergy member of the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church, and retired seminary professor, who taught for thirty years in the disciplines of Spiritual Formation and Wesley Studies. He continues to write on Facebook and on his Oboedire blog: oboedire.wordpress.com