''On Nature and Grace'' () is an anti-

Pelagian Pelagianism is a Christian theological position that holds that the original sin did not taint human nature and that humans by divine grace have free will to achieve human perfection. Pelagius ( – AD), an ascetic and philosopher from th ...

book by

Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...

written in AD 415. It is a response to

Pelagius Pelagius (; c. 354–418) was a British theologian known for promoting a system of doctrines (termed Pelagianism by his opponents) which emphasized human choice in salvation and denied original sin. Pelagius and his followers abhorred the moral s ...

's 414 book ''On Nature'' (). Before this work, Augustine did not seem to see Pelagius as a heretic, but ''On Nature and Grace'' seems to be a turning point in the

Pelagian controversy Pelagianism is a Christian theological position that holds that the original sin did not taint human nature and that humans by divine grace have free will to achieve human perfection. Pelagius ( – AD), an ascetic and philosopher from th ...

. The work does not mention Pelagius by name, but by responding to ''De natura'', Augustine for the first time engages Pelagius as an opponent.

References

Sources

* 5th-century books Works by Augustine of Hippo Pelagianism {{christianity-book-stub