HIST-308 Lecture Notes - Lecture 64: Pelagianism, Philip Melanchthon, Virtue Ethics
7 Apr 2020
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Luther praises melanchthon who already refuted erasmus" claims in his commonplaces. They had already revealed what luther calls the crappy nature of erasmus" rhetorical arguments: a religion of assertions. Erasmus went wrong as soon as he abandoned assertions. Erasmus fears assertion because he"s a skeptic: scriptural authority. Luther argues that scripture itself outranks even the church. If erasmus were not being used as an attack, luther too would be attacked by the cardinals. But for pelagianism, not grace: erasmus on christian effort. Luther mocks erasmus" christianity as one rooted in the notions of free will and effort. Luther says christ and the spirit is missing in erasmus" vision of christian life. Instead of emphasizing the agency of the trinity, especially its second and third persons, Erasmus offers free will virtue ethics: the will as packhorse. For luther, the will is a mere packhorse. Only god whose mercy conducts the train of the elect to salvation.
