On the Remission of Sins

Fulgentius of Ruspe wrote this treatise on the forgiveness of sins during his later pastoral ministry in North Africa, likely between 515 and 525, addressing theological controversies that had emerged from both Pelagian and semi-Pelagian teachings about human nature and divine grace. As bishop of Ruspe in Byzantine Africa, Fulgentius faced communities confused by competing claims about whether humans could merit forgiveness through their own efforts or whether divine grace alone accomplished redemption.

The treatise systematically argues that the remission of sins occurs entirely through God's unmerited grace, received through faith and enacted in baptism. Fulgentius demonstrates from Scripture that human beings, corrupted by original sin, possess no capacity to earn or contribute to their own forgiveness. He carefully distinguishes between the complete forgiveness available through baptism and the ongoing need for repentance among the baptized, showing how both depend wholly on Christ's atoning work rather than human merit. The work integrates careful biblical exegesis with the theological framework established by Augustine, presenting forgiveness as both a completed legal declaration and an ongoing transformative process that reshapes the believer's relationship with God.

This treatise preserved and transmitted Augustinian insights about grace and forgiveness into the medieval period, influencing later discussions of justification and penance. Fulgentius's precise theological language and systematic approach made his work a reference point for subsequent theologians wrestling with the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation.

Who should read this: Theologians, pastors, and students interested in patristic theology, the development of doctrines of grace and forgiveness, or the historical foundations of later Reformation debates about justification. This work requires familiarity with early Christian theological vocabulary and is not suited for general spiritual reading.