Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Can we talk credibly about original sin today?

I think it is important that we do speak about original sin, because whether or not it is acknowledged, it is the common experience of all people. As discussed in the lecture, it is critical to define what is meant by original sin. I think most people in our Western culture hear original sin, and imagine the serpent and Adam and Eve, and do not see any sort of connection with reality. I would argue that the concept of sin itself is not well understood, or at the very least is not taken seriously, and so the ability to distinguish between types of sin is expecting quite a lot.

I do believe that the Church and its teachers should continue to teach original sin because it explains the sense of unease that we live with, even if we do not acknowledge God. Central to the theology of original sin is the concept that it is not personal, moral guilt that is inherited simply by virtue of being born human. I think we understand that intuitively when we talk about the death of unborn children, or the death of children. However, it is the common experience of people that it is a struggle to be good. If it were not, we would not see hurt that arises when we consciously make a bad choice. The problem is not a lack of awareness of good and evil, it is choosing the evil rather than the good. So, either we are struggling because of internal conflict that is inherent to human nature, or we are struggling because of outside socialization. There is relief in realizing that all people struggle to be good, even the saints, and the universality of the struggle would seem to indicate that it is inherent to human nature. Being good does not “come naturally.” In fact, I think we diminish the saints when we assume that being good did come naturally for them. I believe this is what is meant by Paul when he directs the Philippians to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). The teaching of original sin is then one not of judgment, but of mercy and understanding. It does not tell people that they are inherently evil or depraved, but communicates understanding of the difficulty and struggle of life. One of the central roles of the Church is to walk with people as they struggle, and to offer the assistance of other people through shared experience and prayer.

As long as we explain the words, the concept of original sin is completely relevant to helping us understand our own lives, and the lives of those around us.