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Originally Posted by pelagius
Probably, Jay. When I say prevenient grace I mean something like the following: Prior to any act of human agency, grace which moves the human will to have faith or to be capable of having faith.
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Also, Jay let me add the following. I think a good example of prevenient grace in the Book of Mormon is 2 Nephi 2:26-27 (Blake Ostler is the first one I am aware of to make the observation):
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26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
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Without the atonement or grace of Christ we don't have agency. We don't have the ability or capability to have faith. We can't do good works. We are not free. We are only acted upon. I've never met a Mormon that had a problem with this concept. It is fully accepted as a "stage" in salvation but we just usually make it implicit in our discussion of Salvation.
This notion is also why I think it is inappropriate to call Mormonism "Pelagian" or "Semi-Pelagian" (despite my sympathy). To be sure, this passage points out some overlap but Pelagius didn't believe (as far as I know) that we are "free" (from the effects of the fall) by grace and grace alone.