Last summer, Dr Christopher Bounds, a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, re-posted his 3-part series on four (but actually six) different views of salvation (see the links at the bottom of this post). This series is based on Dr. Bounds 2011 journal article, “How Are People Saved? The Major Views of Salvation with a Focus on Wesleyan Perspectives and Their Implications”, published in Wesley and Methodist Studies, Vol. 3 (2011) pp. 31-54.
Two of the six views he outlines, which are often confused with one another, are the “Semi-Pelagian” which does not affirm prevenient grace, vs. “Semi-Augustinian” (the traditional Arminian view, as well as my own view) which does. Dr. Bounds does an excellent job of distinguishing these views.
Interestingly, the extra two views he adds are what he calls “middle of the spectrum” views. These form the basis of his last post, and include “Softer Semi-Augustinianism” which modifies the traditional Arminian/Wesleyan view and is held by some modern Wesleyans.
Below are some quick snapshots from his posts on these three views:
First, on “Semi-Pelagianism“, which has more recently emerged under other names, he writes:
This is a human-divine synergism. The work of humanity is to repent and believe. The work of God is to forgive and redeem. Priority is given to human beings, not because they do the most important work in salvation, but because salvation begins with the human initiative. God responds when human beings take this initiative. Perhaps the defining mark of the semi-Pelagian perspective is the belief that every human being, though impaired by original sin, has the power to move toward God, repent, and believe the Gospel at any moment they decide.
Semi-Pelagianism can take a variety of forms in Christianity.
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However, this is the view of most generic evangelicals, or this is how most evangelicals function pragmatically.
Four Views of Salvation, Part 1: Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism
Then, in Part-2, on Semi-Augustinianism (ie: Arminianism) he writes:
[U]nlike the Semi-Pelagian view, which sees original sin or human depravity as partial or incomplete, leaving humanity with some internal resources to contribute to the work of salvation, the Semi-Augustinian view sees original sin as complete or humanity as totally depraved. Because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden, the moral image of God (holiness, righteousness, love, and relationship to God) is completely destroyed in humanity. Consequently, all human beings in their “natural state” are spiritually dead to God, thoroughly sinful, under divine condemnation, helpless to change themselves, ignorant of their present state, and incapable of grasping their plight. If human beings are going to be saved, God is the One who must take the initiative. If human beings are to be awakened, convicted of their sin, repent, and exercise faith to be converted, then God must do the work, because humanity has no internal resources with which to move toward God and progress in the way of salvation.
Specifically, the Semi-Augustinian view teaches that God takes this initiative by giving to humanity prevenient grace. Prevenient grace, which is given to everyone, brings the power to respond to further works of grace; this grace restores the power to cooperate with further works of grace as divine grace is made available in life. However, humanity can do nothing until God first moves or further grace is given. As a result of prevenient grace given to all, humanity can then choose to cooperate with what God is doing or not. From this perspective, a person cannot recognize their fallen state, unless the Spirit brings this recognition; a person cannot repent of their sins, unless the Spirit empowers them to do so; a person cannot turn toward God, unless the Spirit enables them; and a person cannot exercise faith to believe whenever they hear the gospel, unless the Spirit creates such faith in them. Thus, prevenient grace, given to all, in itself does not restore to people the ability to progress in the way of salvation (be awakened, repent, believe, etc.). Prevenient grace simply enables a person to cooperate with further works of divine grace made available at divinely appointed times and places through the means of grace.
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Grace from this perspective is the work of the Holy Spirit in humanity. As the Gospel is being shared in divine moments and places, grace is at work in people: a work that is not humanly generated but of God, drawing people, convincing people of the truth that Christ died for them, compelling them to give their lives to Christ, and creating faith to believe the Gospel. If they cooperate, they will be transformed through the new birth. As such, faith is not a human act so much as a result of cooperating with the “grace” of God at work in people at divinely appointed times through the means of grace. All people have done in the moment of conversion is cooperate with what is being wrought in them. To the Semi-Augustinian, the choice is not to believe or not: it is to resist or submit to God’s grace. As such, only in moments when the Holy Spirit is awakening a person from their spiritual slumber can the person be awakened; only in moments in which the Spirit brings repentance can a person repent; and only when the Spirit creates and enables saving faith in an individual can a person be converted.
Dr. Bounds also points out that, unlike later “Wesleyan” denominations discussed in the next section, this “Semi-Augustinianism” was John Wesley own view:
The best representative of this teaching is John Wesley, and it is the official teaching of The United Methodist Church, seen in her doctrinal standards.
Four Views of Salvation, Part 2: Semi-Augustinianism and Augustinianism
In his last post, Dr. Bounds tells us about the modified view held today in some modern Wesleyanism; the view he calls “Softer Semi-Augustinianism (Harder Semi-Pelagianism?)“:
In contrast to John Wesley’s teaching on prevenient grace, many contemporary Wesleyan-Arminian evangelicals and traditions either imply or explicitly teach that as a result of prevenient grace given to all humanity, the ability to move toward God, repent, and exercise faith is an inherent power within every human being. As such, human beings have the ability in any given moment to exercise their will to believe the Gospel and be saved. From this perspective, people at any time may hear the Gospel, weigh the strengths and weaknesses of the argument offered, and choose to follow Christ. Thus, faith and a personal response to the Gospel is primarily something people do. They believe. They decide. They receive. To contemporary Wesleyans, human beings have this power to decide as a result of prevenient grace—a blanket of grace given to all humans everywhere, enabling them to move toward God and exercise faith in any given moment.
Wesleyan-Arminian theologians and traditions holding this view acknowledge “total depravity” and the state of “natural humanity” as spiritually dead to God, thoroughly corrupt, and absolutely dependent upon God’s initiative in the work of salvation. However, they believe God has taken that initiative through prevenient grace given to all, defining prevenient grace as stated above.
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Examples of this form of Wesleyan-Arminianism, softer Semi-Augustinianism, would include The Wesleyan Church and The Nazarene Churches, at least as stated in their Articles of Religion addressing prevenient grace.
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As a note here, John Wesley would disagree with prevenient grace so defined. This contemporary understanding is a fundamental misappropriation of Wesley’s teaching on prevenient grace. To Wesley prevenient grace given to all humanity brings the power to respond to grace, not the power to believe. Wesley would say that as a result of prevenient grace human beings are able to cooperate with further offers of grace by God—not that they have the power to believe whenever they hear the gospel. For Wesley prevenient grace in itself does not restore to people the ability to exercise faith, much less repentance—these are works of God, not of men and women. Prevenient grace enables a person to cooperate with further works of divine grace made available through the means of grace: grace that convicts a person of sin, convinces a person of the need for Christ, and creates saving faith.
Four Views of Salvation, Part 3: Other Views of Salvation on the Spectrum
Though I will not outline them here, Dr. Bounds also writes about Augustinianism (ie: Calvinism), Pelagianism, and another middle view he calls “Softer Semi-Pelagianism”.
You can read each post at the links below:
- Four Views of Salvation, Part 1: Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism
- Four Views of Salvation, Part 2: Semi-Augustinianism and Augustinianism
- Four Views of Salvation, Part 3: Other Views of Salvation on the Spectrum
Related posts:
Gospel encounter 
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