Pelagius's Panopticon: self-observation and the Christian ideal

Abstract

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