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Original Sin

One of the positive ways in which our church interprets the divine gift of human life is in its rejection of the notion of original sin.

What is Original Sin?

Original sin has been taken to mean:

1. The sin that Adam committed;
2. A consequence of this first sin, a hereditary stain with which all are born on account of our origin or descent from Adam.

The Roman Catholic Church and some other churches have accepted the second sense of original sin as part of their theology.  St. Augustine wrote:

"the deliberate sin of the first man is the cause of original sin" (De nupt. et concup., II, xxvi, 43)

Original Sin means in essence that those churches accept the idea of a hereditary stain of sin.  Original sin is commonly thought of as "the privation of sanctifying grace as a consequence of the sin of Adam." Original Sin acts as a block, stopping God's sanctifying grace.

This explanation is said to be founded upon the writings of St. Thomas, goes back to St. Anselm, and even to the traditions of the early Church.  The declaration of the Second Council of Orange (A.D. 529) stated:

"one man has transmitted to the whole human race not only the death of the body, which is the punishment of sin, but even sin itself, which is the death of the soul" (Denz., n. 175 (145))

Churches accepting the concept of original sin draw a comparison between physical death, as the deprivation of the principle of life, and the death of the soul, as the deprivation of sanctifying grace.  Since sanctifying grace is the basis of supernatural life and since original sin blocks God's sanctifying grace, original sin results in "the death of the soul", since it removes from the soul the possibility of attaining heaven (supernatural life).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church States as follows:

416 By his sin Adam, as the first man, lost the original holiness and justice he had received from God, not only for himself but for all human beings.

417 Adam and Eve transmitted to their descendants human nature wounded by their own first sin and hence deprived of original holiness and justice; this deprivation is called "original sin".

418 As a result of original sin, human nature is weakened in its powers, subject to ignorance, suffering and the domination of death, and inclined to sin (this inclination is called "concupiscence").

Those who support the idea of original sin state that while it is not a direct and actual sin, it is a share in the sin of the first man.  By the choice of the first man, who threw away his relationship with God, we all come to share in that choice. Original sin is explained as "not an act but a state, a permanent privation, that we all partake in voluntary albeit indirectly."

Dangers:

The dangers of such thinking are apparent. 

Besides the obvious lack of faith in the goodness of humanity, a humanity for which the Father sent His Son and for whom the Son offered Himself on the cross in order to re-establish our relationship with Him, the concept of original sin:

• Creates a notion of collective and inherited guilt.  Such notions and ideas have been used throughout the centuries as excuses for inhumanity and evil. We do not ascribe to the idea of collective and/or inherited guilt; 
• Creates a notion that the passing on of life via human sexuality is somehow malformed or improper.  We believe parents mutual love and sharing does not pass on sin, it passes on love;
• Creates the notion that God can create a soul that contains sin.  We believe God cannot create anything that is evil or sinful;
• Creates pessimism: it leads people to resign themselves to their sinful choices which they can and should change.  They accept those choices as attributes and effects of original sin, which by their  definition they can do nothing about. We believe that each person has responsibility for and through God's grace control over their choices and actions;
• Creates a view of God as judgmental and punishing. Original sin if left unexpiated and uncleansed, "justifies" God in condemning that person, even an infant, to eternal banishment from God’s presence—and all for a sin never actually committed.  We believe in a God of love and goodness who seeks our freely given love and acceptance.

However well formed the theological argument, the notion of inherited sin, whether real or as a 'state' is counter-intuitive to God's creative goodness.

Our Beliefs:

We believe that creation was and is a positive act of God.  We teach that humanity is created in the image and likeness of God.  Infants do not enter this world with the burden of original sin.

We do not deny the existence of evil in the world. However we do not attribute the world's evils to our ancestors' sin.  Neither is  sin a fulfillment of our "natural inclinations" since we believe that all people are naturally inclined to seek God - to seek the Kingdom of God. 

We believe instead that sin is our own freely chosen alternative to the ways of God.  It is a freely chosen course of action that runs counter to the life of Jesus Christ.  Christ lived as fully human to show us what we can be.

Humanity is not born evil.  We must however face the responsibility of choosing evil. We must acknowledge the times when we have chosen the easy path, the smooth, well paved road instead of walking in Christ's footsteps.

God will not weigh the scales against us because of the faults of our forbears nor will He condemn those who may not know Him or who have died prior to baptism. Instead, He has created us with the privilege and responsibility of moral freedom.  This freedom is our opportunity to make the choice for God.  It is God's promise of salvation. 

God grants us the grace necessary for our redemption.  Christ's life, sacrifice, and resurrection are strength enough for us to overcome the occasion for sin.  When we do sin, Christ the perfect physician heals, us through the sacrament of communal penance at each Holy Mass.  God's continuing grace gives us the strength to overcome temptation.