Pelagius (ca. 360-425) is mainly known for his views on free will, grace and, though less clearly, original sin and the baptism of infants. These issues, however, are partly connected to the Origenist debate that shook the Christian world in the late fourth and early fifth centuries.
After being condemned a heretic by Innocent of Rome in 417, Pelagius set out to defend and proclaim his orthodoxy in a confession of faith, known as the ‘Libellus fidei’. The confession presents an overview of what he regarded to be sound orthodox teaching, ranging from Trinitarian theology to his theological anthropology as it was under discussion. Between these, there are at least two (implicit) references to Origenism: one on the resurrection of the flesh and one on the origin of the soul. In both cases, Pelagius rejects what was regarded as Origenism. To this aspect of Pelagius’ position in 417, scholarship has paid little, if any, attention. This paper sets out to fill the gap.
The context of the case-study is Eastern: it is remarkable that Pelagius wrote his confession from Jerusalem, where he had found protection from bishop John, who had been under fire for his Origenist opinions. Moreover, Pelagius’ confession is based on the second creed of Epiphanius, an old adversary of John. How did Pelagius, fighting to clear his name, search for an acceptable position between the legacy of Epiphanius, the accusations made by Jerome, and the position of his protector John of Jerusalem?
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