Saint Augustine: Against Julian
Overview
The Julian mentioned in the title is Julian of Eclanum who was born at Eclanum in Italy in 380 and died in Sicily ca. 455. After the death of his wife, Julian joined the clergy of his native diocese and eventually succeeded his father as bishop. With a mastery of Greek and Latin Julian combined a great store of theological learning which, however, was tainted with Pelagian errors. Because of his support of Pelagius Julian himself was condemned, deposed and expelled from Italy. In his authentic work, four books to Turbantius, three letters, and eight books to Florus, Julian’s heterodox teachings reduced grace to a simple, protective, divine assistance and practically denied that the taint of Adam’s sin passed on to the human race.
In Against Julian Augustine stresses in the first two books the traditional teachings of the Church found in the Fathers and contrasts their teaching with the rationalism of the Pelagians. Thereupon he refutes the error of the Pelagians that grace is given according to merits. To refute the Pelagian error concerning concupiscence Augustine explains the Pauline teaching “that each one may know how to possess his vessel.” In the concluding book we find a detailed explanation of the practice of infant baptism. This section is a valuable witness to the ritual of baptism as it was conferred in the age of the Fathers.
For The Fathers of the Church series in its entirety, see Fathers of the Church Series (127 vols.).
Key Features
- Polemics against Pelagian heresy
- Provides background on paedobaptism
- One of 127 published volumes in a well-respected series on the Church Fathers
Top Highlights
“When we consider the passing of original sin to all men, we see that because it passes by means of the concupiscence of the flesh, it could not have passed to flesh that a virgin conceived, not through concupiscence.” (Page 295)
“Yet, although all these things are true, men are born subject to the vitiated origin which is contracted from the first man, and therefore go to damnation unless they are reborn in Christ.” (Page 93)
“‘For the flesh of Christ,’ Ambrose continues, ‘condemned sin, which He did not experience in His birth and crucified in His death’—He did not experience it in Himself in His birth and He crucified it in His death. Thus, the law of sin warring against the law of the mind, which existed also in the members of so great an Apostle, is forgiven in baptism, not ended. From this law of the flesh warring against the law of the mind the body of Christ drew nothing to itself, because the Virgin did not conceive from this law. From this law of the flesh warring against the law of the mind there is none who by his first birth does not draw with him this same law itself, because no woman conceives except from this law.” (Page 65)
“In the last part of my first book to St. Pinianus, entitled De gratia contra Pelagium, I said: ‘The problem of free will involves distinctions so difficult to make that, when free choice is defended, the grace of God seems to be denied; and, when the grace of God is asserted, free choice seems to be denied.’14 You, an honest and truthful man, left out some of my words and gave your own construction. I said it is difficult to understand that problem; I did not say it is impossible to understand it; much less did I say what you falsely record as my words, ‘Free choice is denied if grace is commended, and grace is denied if free choice is commended.’ Report me correctly, and your slander vanishes.” (Page 209)
- Title: Saint Augustine: Against Julian
- Author: Augustine of Hippo
- Series: The Fathers of the Church
- Volume: 35
- Publisher: Catholic University of America
- Print Publication Date: 1957
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Pages: 427
- Era: era:nicene
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Sin, Original › Early works to 1800; Apologetics › Early works to 1800
- ISBNs: 813200350, 0813214009, 9780813214009
- Resource ID: LLS:GAINSTJULIAN
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:51:40Z