The philosophy of Pelagius, that humans could find salvation through their own actions, rested on the assumption that human beings had free will. Free will puts control of life in the hands of the individual. From a religious standpoint, it viewed as a gift from God that should be taken very seriously. Individual humans being responsible for their own salvation, however, was at odds with Augustine’s philosophy of  humans having to depend upon God’s grace for salvation. Having free will, humans thus must choose the road that they would take during their lives, be it a moral one or immoral one. It makes individuals responsible for their actions as well as for their own salvation. If instead one believes that only the grace of God can save them, it takes away their personal responsibility and instead transfers that responsibility to God.

Had this idea become orthodox, instead of that of Augustine, in which humans don’t have free to choose their path but instead must depend on the grace of God to save them, it is possible that the modern day Christian church would be very different place than it is today.  The idea of free will and personal responsibility gives individuals a moral obligation to act in accordance with Gods laws. When free will is taken away, it frees the individual from the moral responsibility to act correctly, since by this viewpoint they are already burdened with sin from the day they are born.  Lack of free will and moral responsibility has led some to act in direct violation of God’s laws because of the belief that if they then prayed and confessed their sins, God would grant them salvation despite their sins. Free will means that if you commit an action that is in direct violation of God’s will, you did so with your own free will, meaning you acted outside of moral laws.

Personally, I find Pelaguis’s view more compelling and powerful because of the belief in free will and moral responsibility being the road to human salvation. Personal responsibility and free will is empowering.  Augustine’s philosophy took away moral responsibility from the individual so they had to look to their priests and leaders to follow. However, while Augustine’s philosophy took away free will, it was also in a way comforting because individuals no longer had to decide for themselves what was right or wrong. Instead, they looked to God, and his priests, to show them the moral path. Pelaguis’s philosophy gave individual’s free will, but with a high price of moral obligation. The philosophy which an individual reflects and shapes their view of God, themselves, and their personal worldview.