Pelagius (ca.

CE 354 – ca.

CE 420/440) is an ascetic who denies the need for divine aid in performing good works.

For him, the only grace necessary is the declaration of the law; humans are not wounded by Adam's sin and are perfectly able to fulfill the law apart from any divine aid.

He also, therefore, denies the more specific doctrine of original sin as developed by Augustine of Hippo.

Pelagius is declared a heretic by the Council of Carthage.

His interpretation of a doctrine of free will beomes known as Pelagianism.

He is well educated, fluent in both Greek and Latin, and learned in theology.

He spends time as an ascetic, focusing on practical asceticism, which his teachings clearly reflect.

He is certainly well known in Rome, both for the harsh asceticism of his public life as well as the power and persuasiveness of his speech.

His reputation in Rome earns him praise early in his career even from such pillars of the Church as Augustine, who refers to him as a "saintly man."

However, he is later accused of lying about his own teachings in order to avoid public condemnation.

Most of his later life is spent defending his doctrine against Catholic theologians who hold that Catholicism comes from the apostles and that Pelagius is spreading novelties in the Faith unknown to the apostolic tradition.

Due to his status as a heretic, little of his work has come down to the present day except in the quotes of his opponents.

However, more recently some have defended Pelagius as a misunderstood orthodox.