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St. Augustine Windows

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Teaching about Pelagianism and Original Sin

In describing the struggle in the garden that led to his conversion, Augustine writes, "in my wretched state, who was there to free me from this death-doomed body, save your grace through Jesus Christ our Lord?" (8.5.12).  In this passage Augustine alludes to a major theological question that dominated much of his thinking and that became most significant in Christian thought over the centuries. The question is whether humans are responsible for their own salvation (through their own free choices), or whether humans are too broken to save themselves and require God's grace to achieve their salvation. At the top of the scene you can see a tree with a snake wrapped around it, symbolizing the "original sin" of Adam and Eve, involving the fruit tree (it probably wasn't an apple tree) and the tempting serpent. The two red books at the bottom of the page are also references to this controversy. The lower book is entitled "Pelagius," and the book on top of it is labeled "Original Sin."  Pelagius was a contemporary of Augustine who may have come from Britain (at that time it was also a part of the Roman Empire).  Pelagius is associated with the view that humans can (and must) take responsibility for their own salvation.  Augustine strongly opposed this view, arguing that because of original sin humans need divine grace for salvation. In the image, Augustine is apparently teaching and explaining his views, and criticizing the heretical view of Pelagius.  The artist shows this by placing Pelagius' book on the bottom, and the book "Original Sin" on top.