Heretic—ascetic—moral-reformer. Each of these labels has been assigned to Pelagius, and each,
in its own way, is accurate. Pelagius was one of the most controversial figures in ancient
Christianity and is commonly defined by his participation in the famous theological controversy
that bears his name. His role in the controversy and his subsequent condemnation ultimately
defined both the man and his theology. But this dismissal of character fails to capture the influence
Pelagius exerted in Christianity prior to the controversy. The surviving epistles penned to notable
figures attest to the considerable sway Pelagius held among the Roman aristocracy. Other scholars
have labored to explore the details surrounding the controversy and how his interaction with other
Christian luminaries helped to shape Christian doctrine. But very few have attempted to examine
the underlying influences present in Pelagius’s theological positions.
The aim of this investigation is to address this shortcoming by analyzing the epistles of
Pelagius with the specific intent of examining underlying Stoic, Christian, and ascetic influences.
The investigative parameters for this inquiry are defined by Michel Foucault’s framework of
pastoral Christianity. Foucault’s model, particularly his incorporation of observation as
mechanism of power, is a useful analytical lens that can aid in delineating various potential
influences in the epistles penned by Pelagius.
Panopticism and the associated control wielded by observation is the foundation of this
investigation. Stoic, Christian, and ascetic traditions as defined by Foucault all incorporated
panoptic oversight in their accepted praxis. The rationale for and the methods of this panoptic oversight differed substantially between these traditions, and these differences represent key
defining elements of each. The ways in which Pelagius’s own use of panoptic oversight aligns
with and diverges from these traditions will help to situate his theology on Foucault’s continuum
of Stoic and Christian pastoral thought and praxis.
Dwaalleraar—askeet—morele hervormer. Elkeen van hierdie etikette is aan Pelagius toegeken, en
elkeen is op sy eie manier akkuraat. Pelagius was een van die mees kontroversiële figure in die
antieke Christendom en word gewoonlik gedefinieer deur sy deelname aan die beroemde
teologiese kontroversie wat sy naam dra. Sy rol in die kontroversie en sy daaropvolgende
veroordeling het uiteindelik die man sowel as sy teologie omskryf. Maar hierdie karakterisering
slaag nie daarin om die invloed van Pelagius op die Christendom voor die kontroversie op te som
nie. Die oorblywende briewe wat geskryf is aan noemenswaardige figure, getuig van die
aansienlike invloed wat Pelagius onder die Romeinse aristokrasie geniet het. Ander geleerdes het
moeite gedoen om die besonderhede rondom die kontroversie te ondersoek en hoe sy interaksie
met ander Christelike figure gehelp het om die Christelike leer te vorm. Maar min het probeer om
die onderliggende invloede in die teologiese posisies van Pelagius te ondersoek.
Die doel van hierdie ondersoek is om hierdie tekortkoming aan te spreek deur die briewe
van Pelagius te ontleed met die spesifieke doel om die onderliggende Stoïese, Christelike en
asketiese invloede te ondersoek. Die raamwerk vir hierdie ondersoek word ingelig deur Michel
Foucault se raamwerk van die pastorale Christendom. Die model van Foucault, veral die konsep
van waarneming as mags-meganisme, is ‘n nuttige analitiese lens wat kan help om verskillende
potensiële invloede in die briewe van Pelagius te omskryf.
Panoptisisme en die gepaardgaande beheer wat deur waarneming uitgeoefen word, is
die grondslag van hierdie ondersoek. Stoïsynse, Christelike en asketiese tradisies soos omskryf
deur Foucault, het almal panoptiese waarneming in hul praxis opgeneem. Die regverdiging vir en
die metodes van hierdie panoptiese waarneming het wesenlik tussen hierdie tradisies verskil, en
hierdie verskille verteenwoordig die belangrikste fundamentele elemente van elke tradisie
afsonderlik. Die maniere waarop Pelagius se eie gebruik van panoptiese toesig strook met en afwyk
van hierdie tradisies, sal help om sy pastorale teologie op Foucault se kontinuum van Stoïsynse en
Christelike denke en praktyk te plaas
