Original Sin - Truth or Ideology
Asim B. Malik
Professor Bryan Polk
RL ST 124
9 December 2010
Original Sin – Truth or Ideology
The narrative of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, is one that is well known among humanity. Simply put, it is the story of the origin of mankind; their creation, their temptation, and their initial sin, leading both, man and woman, and their progeny thereafter, to be banished from the Garden of Eden by the Creator Himself. Why us, their progeny? Are we to pay for their sin as well? Or are we also sinful in nature and therefore subject to the same punishment? Where did our sinfulness come from? Is it a punishment? The answers to these questions, and more, are the aim of the Doctrine of Original Sin. This concept attempts to lay out the meaning, reasoning, and actuality behind the story of Adam and Eve, including if or why human nature is sinful or evil, and where it originates. It cannot be so simply described, as there are not only many theories, but also many sources from which the Doctrine originated. The following will, not only contain key persons’ aid in the development, but also the final adoption of this doctrine in the Church, as well as explain the fallibilities, and incoherence of the accepted belief itself.
Many have searched for an answer to why humanity is in the position it is; why man kills its own kind; why such horrors exist in our world. Those of the Christian faith have turned to the narrative of Adam and Eve, the first pair, for such answer. First we must define what “sin” actually means in reference to the following. Sin is a failure to act in accordance with the will of God (Keefer). The belief that sin, or sinfulness, originated at the beginning of man’s time, in relevance to The Fall of the first pair seems to be a common belief in the Christian theology. To start, we will look at the works of a Greek apologist by the name of Justin Martyr. The Fall of Mankind has been referenced to as the cause of sinfulness in humanity by some, but
Professor Bryan Polk
RL ST 124
9 December 2010
Original Sin – Truth or Ideology
The narrative of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, is one that is well known among humanity. Simply put, it is the story of the origin of mankind; their creation, their temptation, and their initial sin, leading both, man and woman, and their progeny thereafter, to be banished from the Garden of Eden by the Creator Himself. Why us, their progeny? Are we to pay for their sin as well? Or are we also sinful in nature and therefore subject to the same punishment? Where did our sinfulness come from? Is it a punishment? The answers to these questions, and more, are the aim of the Doctrine of Original Sin. This concept attempts to lay out the meaning, reasoning, and actuality behind the story of Adam and Eve, including if or why human nature is sinful or evil, and where it originates. It cannot be so simply described, as there are not only many theories, but also many sources from which the Doctrine originated. The following will, not only contain key persons’ aid in the development, but also the final adoption of this doctrine in the Church, as well as explain the fallibilities, and incoherence of the accepted belief itself.
Many have searched for an answer to why humanity is in the position it is; why man kills its own kind; why such horrors exist in our world. Those of the Christian faith have turned to the narrative of Adam and Eve, the first pair, for such answer. First we must define what “sin” actually means in reference to the following. Sin is a failure to act in accordance with the will of God (Keefer). The belief that sin, or sinfulness, originated at the beginning of man’s time, in relevance to The Fall of the first pair seems to be a common belief in the Christian theology. To start, we will look at the works of a Greek apologist by the name of Justin Martyr. The Fall of Mankind has been referenced to as the cause of sinfulness in humanity by some, but
Cited: Bible. O.T. Genesis. English. Catholic Biblical Association of America. 1948 Keefer, R. For the forgiveness of sins: Original sin, evolution, and baptism. Diss. Union Institute and University, 2006. Dissertations & Theses: A&I, ProQuest. Web. 8 Dec. 2010. Paul, St. Corinthians. Unknown publisher. New International Version. 2010 Romans 5:12 Tennant, F. R. The Sources of the Doctrines of the Fall and Original Sin. 1st. New York, N. Y.:Schocken books. 1968. 363. Print. Williams, Patricia A. Doing without Adam and Eve: Sociobiology and Original Sin. Minneapolis.:Fortress Press. 2001. 227. Print.