RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Pereira
Pergamos
fection, analogous to that of the Heavenly Father, is made to consist in free, unselfish, and independent love (Matt. v. 44 sqq.). From his disciples Christ expected self-sacrificing and unselfish love (John xiii. 12 sqq., 34-35, xv. 12 sqq.); and in like manner John taught that the divine love revealed in Christ was realized where brotherly love was manifested in deeds, not in mere words. James found perfection of faith displayed in deeds, the working out of the perfect law of liberty and of the Golden Rule, and in love to one's neighbor (James i. 25, ii. 8). The feeling of imperfection is a necessary part of Christian practise, and Paul himself condemned the excesses of the perfective theory (Phil. iii. 12-15), since to him perfection in its complete sense belonged to the life to come (I Cor. xiii. 10). See Perfectionism. (L. Lemme.)
Bibliography: Consult the literature in and under Per-
fectionism.
PERFECTIONISM: The doctrine which teaches a possibility or actuality of freedom from sin in the present life. Calvinists and Lutherans deny any perfection in this life; the theory is, however, advocated in other branches of the Church. (1) Roman Catholics teach that in some cases by a special privilege of God one who is justified may avoid all sins. He may even offer an obedience beyond the demands of the law (cf. Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, sess. vi., chap, xi., and can. 23, 25, given in Schaff, Creeds, ii. 100-102, 115). (2) Wesleyan Arminians teach a perfection which is not angelic, Adamic, or absolute, but relative, i.e., " according to the special economy introduced by the atonement, in which the heart, being sanctified, fulfils the law- by love." " The highest perfection," says Wesley, " which man can attain while the soul dwells in the body does not exclude ignorance and error and a thousand infirmities." The cause of this perfection is variously conceived, as due, e.g., to repression of unholy thoughts and desires (R. S. Foster, Christian Purity, New York, 1869), to eradication of unchristian dispositions (A. Lowrey, Possibilities of Grace, New York, 1884), to maturity of grace and holiness, to be distinguished from the fulness of glory of the redeemed in heaven (J. Miley, Systematic Theology, 2 vols., New York, 1892-94). (3) Friends teach that, in the case of the justified, " the body of death and sin comes to be crucified and removed, and their hearts united, and subjected unto the truth, so as not to obey any suggestion or temptation of the Evil One, but to be free from actual sinning, and transgressing the law of God, and in that respect perfect. Yet doth this perfection still admit of a growth; there remaineth a possibility of sinning where the mind doth not most diligently and watchfully attend unto the Lord " (" Confession of the Society of Friends," prop, viii.; cf. Schaff, Creeds, iii. 974-975). (4) The Oberlin school (A. Mahan, Scripture Doctrine of Perfection, Boston, 1839; C. G. Finney, Systematic Theology, Oberlin, 1878; cf. J. H. Fairchild, Elements of Theology, ib. 1892) teaches that " as virtue and sin belong only to voluntary action, and are contradictory in their nature, they can not coexist in the soul. The beginning of the Christian life is entire obedience. Every lapse into sin involves, for the
time, an entire interruption of obedience. The promises of God and the provisions of the Gospel are such that, when fully and continually embraced, they enable the believer to live a life of uninterrupted obedience — an attainment which may be properly encouraged and expected in the present life." (5) In addition to the above are scattered groups of Christians, either members of or offshoots from several denominations who advocate entire holiness or sanctification or perfection in this life. In such persons this theory is commonly associated with an impossible psychology of moral action, and with defective ethical standards, and those who claim to have attained to this singular virtue are often characterized by an exaggerated individualism, a loose antinomianism, and by unsocial conduct even though dwelling in communities. See Communism, II., 8. C. A. Beckwith.
Bibliography: Beside8 the literature named in the text consult: S. J. Hunter, Outlines of Dogmatic Theology, 615, New York, 1896 (Roman Catholic); C. Hodge, Systematic Theology, iii. 245, New York, 1873 (Presbyterian); W. G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, ii. 551, New York, 1889 (Presbyterian). The following are principally from the Methodist standpoint: J. Wesley, Works, vi. 483- 531, New York, n.d.; J. Fletcher, Works, ii. 491-669, New York, 1833; W. Bates, Spiritual Perfection Unfolded, London, 1848; S. A. Franklin, Critical Review of Wesleyan Perfection, Cincinnati, 1867; J. A. Wood, Perfect Love, Boston, 1862; J. T. Crane, Holiness the Birthright of All God's Children, New York, 1874; D. Steele, Love Enthroned: Essays on Evangelical Perfection, New York, 1875; idem, Defence of Christian Perfection, ib., 1899; A. Hovey, Doctrine of the Higher Christian Life Compared with the Teaching of the Holy Scriptures, Boston, 1876; P. T. Forsyth, Christian Perfection, new ed., London, 1909.
PERFECTIONISTS. See Communism, II., 8.
PERGAMOS: A city of Mysia in Asia Minor, the modern Bergamah, situated on the river Selinus, which flows through the city and is a tributary of the Caicus, which last, being navigable, gives access to the jEgean Sea, twenty-two and a half miles away. The ancient city was connected by road with Adramyttion to the north, Sardis to the southeast, and Ephesus to the south. According to tradition, the place was founded by Telephus, the son of Heracles, or by Asclepias. It was an obscure place till Lysimachus, one of Alexander's generals, chose it as the repository of his treasure. Philetserus, the guardian of the treasure, made himself independent 283 B.C., and inaugurated the continuous policy of the city which involved favor to the Romans in their eastern conflicts. This course met reward from the Romans in the gift of all Asia Minor west of the Taurus, and thus the city became the capital of a powerful kingdom. In 133 B.C. the direct line lapsed, the last king, Attalus III. Philometor, bequeathing the kingdom to the Romans, who made of it the province of Asia. The city long retained its eminence, so that Pliny could speak of it as " by far the most distinguished in Asia." But it declined under the Byzantine dominion. It gave its name to parchment (charta Pergamea), which was one of its chief manufactures, and its library, said to consist of 200,000 volumes, went to Alexandria by gift from Antony to Cleopatra. For the Biblical relations see Asia Minor, IV.
Perioope