Pelagianism is the unorthodox Christian view that salvation may be attained through one’s own efforts, in contrast to redemption through Divine Grace.
Pelagius believed that Adam’s original sin (as told in the Biblical book of Genesis) was a bad example for the rest of us but it didn’t indelibly stamp sin into every human being born after him.
In other words, Pelagius recast the traditional idea of a universal “original sin” into a more specific “first sin” of Adam.
Sin then is something we can avoid by making good ethical choices and following through with good ethical actions. This puts full responsibility on the individual.
Jesus, then, is seen as setting a good example and providing a means for atonement instead of dying for the original sin that we, so the traditional story goes, inherited from Adam’s egregious disobedience to God.
In the early 5th century St. Augustine condemned this idea and its founder, Pelagius, was accused of heresy and acquitted.
But this was only a reprieve. Pelagius was subsequently re-charged and excommunicated. Not necessarily executed, he disappeared from history.
Beyond Words adds:
It’s almost as if we know good works is the answer to a riddle, but few of us know how to set up the question. We’re afraid if we do, we’ll get off-course and fall into the trap of Pelagianism. » Source
On the Web:
- Lots of good details and quotes at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagianism







This kind of distance healing could be a single or complex, multi-layered issue.
















