conjectural navel gazing; jesus in lint form

feast day: pelagius (remember your baptism!)

When did the Baptists first arise? This is an interesting question. Historically, we stem from the second wave of the Reformation in Western Europe. As we slowly migrated to the New World, we kinda spread like Kudzu. Everyone needs a hobby, clearly. Ours is ecclesial meiosis.

This morning, I posted an entry about the feast day for St. Augustine. I especially like the "Saint Cards" from AKMA. They are a great study aid. If your church follows the lectionary and honors the saints and theologians of the church, you should collect them all. Your kids may get a kick out of them. But I digress.

This morning, after posting my entry, I opened my daily devotional book from the Northumbria Community. On this day, August 28, they honor Pelagius. They do not honor Augustine. In fact, I cannot find him anywhere in their Celtic Christian (read: How the Irish Saved Civilization) lectionary. I'll keep looking. For Pelagius they offer a couple of pages on the history of his ministry and the famed debate with Augustine. The quotation from below suggests the Augustine may have had several enemies...and history suggests strongly that Pelagius was one. Well, here is the history of Pelagius ala Northumbria:

- c. 350 to 418
- British (of course)
- criticised for lots of things including: teaching women to read scripture, "believing that the image of God is found in every new-born child, and that sex is a God-given aspect of our essential creation. He did not deny the reality of evil or its assault on the human soul, or the habitual nature of sin."
- 415: Augustine tried twice to have him convicted of heresy. On both occasions Augustine failed.
- 416: Augustine and the African bishops convened two diocesan councils to condemn Pelagius and another Celt, Celestius.
- 417: The Bishop of Rome called a meeting to deal with the matter. The result was Pelagius' exoneration. African bishops were urged to "love peace, prize love, and seek after harmony."
- 418: The African bishops made no such efforts and had the state government banish Pelagius from Rome for disturbing the peace. The Church was then compelled to take action to banish and excommunicate Pelagius. No reason was given.

Ah, the joys of Christian love and charity. The prayerbook goes on to mention how history is written by the victors. I won't go as far as the Northumbrian folk have gone, but it is interesting to note how they remember the conflict. Pelagianism is considered a heresy by most of Christianity. Baptists have a strange way of treading the a thin line and usually err on the side of Pelagius by nature of our baptismal practices. We don't baptise babies. So, when pressed about original sin and the state of the souls of our young people (non-baptised), we often get trapped into Pelagianism. Ah well. We originated out of England. What do you want?

So, why does any of this matter? I am not entirely sure, but I am making some inexpressible connection between this debate about baptismal theology, a theology of (original) sin and the water balloon fight that broke out at the church picnic yesterday. No matter how many times I hollered "The pastor has been baptized!" it made no difference. I came home soaked. It is some consolation that so did most of the deacons and one particular created-in-the-image-of-God child. Zoe may never dry out. We should have laid hands on him and called for the Spirit to work right then and there. But alas, it was not to be.

"'Vengance is mine,' sayeth the Lord." How often did this run through my head yesterday as I hurtled baloons across the green? Many. Many. But it was to no avail! I pelted young and old alike. Thus were our baptisms remembered and thus were our young encouraged to take up the cross of Christ.

Baptists are dissenters. It's a habit. Pelagius' story is just one more reason to keep the state out of church business. Pelagius' theology is just one more way of thinking that maybe we should think twice about sin and death and, apparently, before getting wet. And, finally, if I may be allowed a little hyperbole, Pelagius and Augustine would have made great Baptists. And by this logic, we have now traced the Baptists back to the 5th Century. What joy!

Auggie: "Oh yeah!?"
Pell: "Yeah!"
Auggie: "Well I'm calling the cops!"
Pell: "Fine. Say hello to your mother for me. *wink*"
Auggie: "No you didn't."
Pell: "You bet I did!"

Okay, I think I'm done now. I so love church history.

Posted by tripp at August 28, 2006 08:11 AM