[BRIEF NOTE] The Pelagian Heresy at Work

[rfmcdonald]

John Gray, I've recently been told, has said that those American Christian fundamentalists who claim that their country's crusade has divine sanction are acting on the basis of a heresy, specifically that of Pelagius. His theology of Pelagianism does not accept Saint Augustine's theology of original sin, quite the contrary.

Pelagianism is a belief that original sin did not taint human nature (which, being created from God, was divine), and that mortal will is still capable of choosing good or evil without Divine aid. Thus, Adam's sin was "to set a bad example" for his progeny, but his actions did not have the other consequences imputed to Original Sin. Pelagianism views the role of Jesus as "setting a good example" for the rest of us (thus counteracting Adam's bad example). In short, humanity has full control, and thus full responsibility, for its own salvation in addition to full responsibility for every sin (the latter insisted upon by both proponents and opponents of Pelagianism).

This explains, among other things, David Frum and Richard Perle's An End to Evil. Pelagianism, and human psychology, also explain the disturbing insouciance of many backers of American military campaigns to the human-rights abuses committed by American and allied forces, of which Abu Ghraib is merely the chief example: If you want an omelette, you do have to break some eggs. Or heads, as the case may be.