Original sin devastated humanity by severing the perfect communion with God, leaving all people born into a state of spiritual brokenness and alienation. This rupture unleashed a cascade of suffering, death, and moral weakness, fundamentally wounding human nature with an enduring inclination toward sin.
Original sin, a foundational concept in Christian theology, refers to the inherent sinful nature humanity inherited from Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. According to Genesis, their choice to eat the forbidden fruit introduced sin and death into the world, fracturing the perfect relationship between God and humankind. Theologians like Augustine of Hippo shaped this doctrine, arguing that all people are born with a corrupted nature, prone to sin, and in need of redemption. This condition isn’t just about personal acts but a universal state of guilt and separation from divine grace.
Get startedCatholics teach that original sin is the state of sinfulness all humans inherit from Adam and Eve’s disobedience in Eden. It’s not a personal act but a condition of human nature, marked by the loss of original holiness and justice (CCC 396-409).
It began when Adam and Eve, tempted by the serpent, ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3). This act of free will defied God, introducing sin and death into the world, a consequence passed to all humanity (CCC 402-404).
Catholics believe Adam, as the first human, represented all humanity. His sin disrupted the harmony with God, wounding human nature itself. This inherited state—called concupiscence—makes us prone to sin (CCC 405).
No. Original sin is a condition we’re born into, not an act we commit. Personal sins are deliberate choices we make. Original sin’s guilt is inherited, not earned (CCC 404).
Baptism is the remedy, removing original sin and restoring grace, though the tendency to sin (concupiscence) remains. It unites us to Christ’s redemption (CCC 405, 1263).
Catholics point to Romans 5:12-19, where Paul says sin entered through one man (Adam) and grace through another (Christ), alongside Genesis 3. Tradition and the Magisterium interpret these texts (CCC 388-389).
The Council of Trent (1545–1563) defined original sin as dogma, a binding truth of faith, affirming its universal impact and the necessity of baptism. It’s non-negotiable in Catholic theology (CCC 389).
Catholics see original sin as a state removable by baptism, leaving concupiscence. Many Protestants, especially Reformed, view it as total depravity, an ongoing corruption, with varied takes on baptism’s role (CCC 405).
No, Catholics believe Mary was preserved from original sin through the Immaculate Conception, a unique grace preparing her to bear Christ. This is dogma, defined in 1854 (CCC 491-492).
Explore the Catechism of the Catholic Church (sections 385-421), the Council of Trent’s decrees, or books like Theology for Beginners by Frank Sheed. Catholic.com and parish classes offer deeper insight.