Scott Knutson
Essays on Sin
The Church Initially Did Not Believe in Original Sin
It is interesting to note that prior to Augustine (an early Church leader born around 354), Church doctrine stated that death was a natural part of the human experience, not a result of the sins of Adam and Eve (Elaine Pagels, Adam, Eve and the Serpent, 1988). Most Christians, even if they did except the concept of original sin, felt that it was washed away upon baptism - all baptized people were sinless. The idea that there was no sin to speak of fell in line with what St. John wrote: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; fir his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:9).
Most Christians agreed with Pelagius (including Justin Martyr, Clement, Irenaeus, Tertullian), another early Church leader, who felt that the idea of original sin went against what Jesus taught - the goodness of God and the ability to have free will (Pagels, 1988).
Augustine however, saw things differently. He saw sin (mainly death and sexual desire) as the "gift" of Adam for his sin. His decision to commit sin, brought mortality and sexual desire upon the human race.
Augustine was not only an early Church leader, but a gifted orator and politician. His arguments against Pelagius and his followers began to change the minds of some Christians. In fact, his discussions and rebuttals to Pelagius were so powerful, that in 417 riots broke out in Rome between those who followed Augustine and those who followed Pelagius (Pagels, 1988).
Unfortunately, Augustine was able to influence Pope Innocent, the Bishop of Rome at the time, who condemned Pelagius. When Innocent died, Pope Zosimus, his successor, initially agreed with Pelagius and his view and deemed his ideas orthodox (straight). But very strong protests from Augustine and his followers convinced Zosimus to reverse his decision and to actually excommunicate Pelagius (Pagels, 1988). Augustine also used his connections to give Emporer Honorius 80 highly prized Numidian stallions to win his favor. This worked, and in 418 Honorius ordered Pelagius fined, expelled from office and exiled. (Pagels, 1988).
So, because of Augustine's great oratory skills and his political astuteness, today's official Church doctrine states that Adam's choice to sin in the Garden of Eden brought mortality and sin onto the entire human population.
Sin is Just Thinking Differently
Sin. If one believes as I do that sin is “missing the mark” (from the Greek word for sin, “hamartano” and the Hebrew “chata”) which is the true meaning of the word with regard to spirituality and “God”, then everyone sins. Because everyone misses the mark when it comes to understanding “God”.
Sin is not deliberate disobedience of “God”. Sin is not shameful. Sin is not “utterly wrong”. Sin is missing the mark. The word comes from the sport of archery, where if one didn’t hit the target, then it was said that one had sinned (hamartema). Another way to look at it is to say that one is thinking wrong. Or thinking differently which, coincidently, is also what repent means in Greek (from the word “metanoeo”).
So with sin meaning to miss the mark or to think differently, then that kind of puts out the fire in the “fire and brimstone”? concepts of sin. It removes the “fear” surrounding sin that many Christians understand it to have. It’s all about thinking right. It is all about the mind. After all, Yeshua said “God” is “all mind” in the Sophia of Jesus Christ.
It is interesting to note that prior to Augustine (an early Church leader born around 354), Church doctrine stated that death was a natural part of the human experience, not a result of the sins of Adam and Eve (Elaine Pagels, Adam, Eve and the Serpent, 1988). Most Christians, even if they did except the concept of original sin, felt that it was washed away upon baptism - all baptized people were sinless. The idea that there was no sin to speak of fell in line with what St. John wrote: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; fir his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:9).
Most Christians agreed with Pelagius (including Justin Martyr, Clement, Irenaeus, Tertullian), another early Church leader, who felt that the idea of original sin went against what Jesus taught - the goodness of God and the ability to have free will (Pagels, 1988).
Augustine however, saw things differently. He saw sin (mainly death and sexual desire) as the "gift" of Adam for his sin. His decision to commit sin, brought mortality and sexual desire upon the human race.
Augustine was not only an early Church leader, but a gifted orator and politician. His arguments against Pelagius and his followers began to change the minds of some Christians. In fact, his discussions and rebuttals to Pelagius were so powerful, that in 417 riots broke out in Rome between those who followed Augustine and those who followed Pelagius (Pagels, 1988).
Unfortunately, Augustine was able to influence Pope Innocent, the Bishop of Rome at the time, who condemned Pelagius. When Innocent died, Pope Zosimus, his successor, initially agreed with Pelagius and his view and deemed his ideas orthodox (straight). But very strong protests from Augustine and his followers convinced Zosimus to reverse his decision and to actually excommunicate Pelagius (Pagels, 1988). Augustine also used his connections to give Emporer Honorius 80 highly prized Numidian stallions to win his favor. This worked, and in 418 Honorius ordered Pelagius fined, expelled from office and exiled. (Pagels, 1988).
So, because of Augustine's great oratory skills and his political astuteness, today's official Church doctrine states that Adam's choice to sin in the Garden of Eden brought mortality and sin onto the entire human population.
Sin is Just Thinking Differently
Sin. If one believes as I do that sin is “missing the mark” (from the Greek word for sin, “hamartano” and the Hebrew “chata”) which is the true meaning of the word with regard to spirituality and “God”, then everyone sins. Because everyone misses the mark when it comes to understanding “God”.
Sin is not deliberate disobedience of “God”. Sin is not shameful. Sin is not “utterly wrong”. Sin is missing the mark. The word comes from the sport of archery, where if one didn’t hit the target, then it was said that one had sinned (hamartema). Another way to look at it is to say that one is thinking wrong. Or thinking differently which, coincidently, is also what repent means in Greek (from the word “metanoeo”).
So with sin meaning to miss the mark or to think differently, then that kind of puts out the fire in the “fire and brimstone”? concepts of sin. It removes the “fear” surrounding sin that many Christians understand it to have. It’s all about thinking right. It is all about the mind. After all, Yeshua said “God” is “all mind” in the Sophia of Jesus Christ.
