Original Sin : A New Perspective

In her article, Original Sin: A Residual of Some Primal Crime, (Doctrine and Life, 1992, pp83-94), Kathleen Coyle reformulates the doctrine of original sin from a psychological and sociological perspective. In her reformulation she defines original sin as a symbol, pointing to the human need for redemption, which refers to a psychological human 'incompleteness' appropriate to both individuals and humanity.

Coyle's reformulation was prompted by the loss of credibility accorded to the traditional doctrine, and her perception of the doctrine of original sin as holding "a crucial and central position" in theology. (p83) The doctrine of original sin speaks of humanity’s alienation from God and the universal need for redemption - concepts which are, indeed, central to the Christian faith; yet the doctrine of original sin in its traditional form makes little sense in today’s world. We can no longer consider original sin to be the penalty we must pay for the crime of primal ancestors, ie: the eating of forbidden fruit by Adam and Eve. Nor can we simply accept that original sin is 'passed down' from one generation to the next. More specifically, we can not accept that sexual procreation is the means by which this original sin is 'passed down'. Further, our current understanding of evolution precludes the notion of a perfect existence prior to a 'fall'.

The traditional formulation of the doctrine has been much maligned for its antiquated portrayal of the human condition, but the answer, as Coyle points out, is not to reject the doctrine out of hand. To avoid losing the essential truths of the doctrine of original sin, she calls upon theologians to reinterpret the theology behind it. Coyle chooses to reformulate the doctrine by looking to psychology.

It seems rather ironic that Coyle suggests "learning from Freud" (p83) as a means of overcoming the notion of sin as a penalty inherited for the crime of a primal ancestor, when Freud himself regards religion as resulting from the inherited guilt of the murder of a primal father, nevertheless her point concerning the perennial nature of childhood trauma is a valid one. The childhood 'traumas' that Coyle discusses are not dramatic abuses, (although, undoubtedly, these do exist and may cause extensive damage to the child's psyche), rather she refers to the normal developmental traumas that are part of the universal human experience. These developmental traumas are carried into adulthood; the adults, in turn, are impeded by their developmental deprivations and are thus unable to fully meet the needs of their children. Thereby the afflictions of one generation are passed on to the next in a continuous cycle.

This cycle is societal as much as it is individual. Distorted world views, perverse values, prejudices and disorders of one generation are absorbed and internalised by the next. Quoting Moore, Coyle contends this involuntary state of original sin is a "universal, culturally propagated and reinforced human response to the trauma of coming out of animality into self-awareness". Because humans cannot exist outside of culture we are all enmeshed in this cycle. It is this cycle of "arrested development" that Coyle understands by 'original sin'. As humans, we are all born into cultural and familial limitations which prevent us from reaching our true potential, individually and collectively. Thus, original sin is "a present conflict between our history and God’s call for the world." (p89)

Redemption, for Coyle, becomes liberation from this "cycle of evil". She suggests God's grace is that sense of being loved by God which generates self-worth, (p88) and it is by God's grace that we are awakened to a new self-awareness and self-affirmation which empowers us to break the cycle. The fears and frustrations of our past can be healed through forgiveness and self-understanding. In her reformulation, Christ redeems humanity by offering humankind a new possibility for living. By "putting on the mind of Christ (1Cor 2:26) we live in a new mode of consciousness" (p92) and we become free to participate in the fullness of life.

Drawing on the insights of modern depth psychology, Coyle has redefined the concepts of original sin, grace and redemption. By so doing, she has succeeded in reformulating the doctrine of original sin in a way that is credible to contemporary society whilst maintaining the central truths of the traditional formulation of the doctrine. The task remains open for other theologians to refine this approach and/or reformulate the doctrine from different perspectives as we expand our understanding of what it is to be human.

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