Pelagianism is a name applied to teachings associated with the British monk Pelagius and the early fifth-century controversy over grace, sin, and human freedom.
The dispute
Pelagius emphasized moral responsibility and the human capacity to obey God. His opponents, especially Saint Augustine of Hippo, judged that the resulting system failed to account adequately for the wounded condition of humanity and the absolute necessity of divine grace.
Church teaching
Christian tradition affirms both genuine human freedom and the priority of grace. Salvation is not earned by unaided moral effort; even the beginning and completion of the life of faith depend upon God’s action, to which the human person freely responds.