Pelagianism

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='ICTHUS' date='Jun 16 2004, 06:32 PM'] So, would it be correct to say that Rome teaches synergism, as opposed to Monergism - that is, that both God and the person being saved co-operate in salvation, whereas in Monergism, God alone saves? [/quote]
In a sense the Church teaches both monergism and synergism, for she holds that salvation is wholly the gift of Almighty God, and yet, man is not passive in his reception of this gift. As. St. Augustine said, "God, who made you without your consent, does not justify you without your consent. He made you without your knowledge, but He does not justify you without your willing it." [St. Augustine, Sermon 169:13]

[Hananiah]

[quote name='ICTHUS' date='Jun 16 2004, 06:32 PM'] So, would it be correct to say that Rome teaches synergism, as opposed to Monergism - that is, that both God and the person being saved co-operate in salvation, whereas in Monergism, God alone saves? [/quote]
I don't think either catergory does justice to Catholic soteriology. The Catholic Church teaches that God's grace is the only efficient cause of salvation; the reciever is simply the instrumental cause. But the will is not merely passive under the influence of grace, because God works in the will, with the will. Also, grace is possible to resist. Like inspiration (God dictated the Bible yet the human authors were writing down their own thoughts) the relation between grace and the will is a mystery which we will not understand this side of purgatory.

[Guest JeffCR07]

hananiah, apotheoun, again, both really good posts. good work!

- Your Brother in Christ, Jeff