From: Jim Jordan <jbjordan@gnt.net>
Subject: (urth) Pelagianism
Date: Sat, 20 May 2000 11:19:30 

	It's been a while since I read the Severian books, but as I recall there
is an interlocked tension in the Commonwealth between the absolute power of
the autarch and the anarchy advocated by Vodalus. Translate that into
theological terms, and you have determinism on the one hand, and
Pelagianism on the other. Between, or above, them is the Christian doctrine
of predestination, which affirms both divine superintendence and human
freedom together as a mystery (which is the better way of understanding the
Augustinian position, even if there are infelicities in his own expression
thereof -- Aug was not saying that everything is fixed and men are just
robots). If I were going to run with this, I'd investigate whether
Severian, as agent of the Increate, is providing an example of the
Christian (Thomist, Wolfean) doctrine.

Nutria


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