Ep.92 - There’s No Such Thing As Original Sin - Really? w/ Ruth Gouldbourne

Theology for the Curious

One of the key leaders of the Second Great Awakening in America, was the Presbyterian Charles Finney. It is no secret he grappled with the idea of sin. In one of his notes he wrote; “Moral depravity does not consist in nor imply a sinful nature”

In contrast to Finney, Article 9 of the Church of England’s 39 Articles; ‘Of Original or Birth Sin’―identify’s how “every person born into this world..deserveth God’s wrath and damnation”, largely because man, “of his own nature” is “inclined to evil”.

The question posed is both theological and philosophical. Where did sin come from? Why do a hundred percent of the people sin a hundred percent of the time, without exception? Do we sin because we’re sinners, or do we become sinners because we sin? What are the origins of such inclinations, and why are they so patently evident from the very early months/years of a child’s life? Augustine and Pelagian, two monks, argued this out in a very public forum some fifteen centuries ago. Together they brought to the fore a theological labyrinth that has continued to baffle theologians and philosophers ever since

In this weeks episode Pete and the Curious team are joined by pastor, lecturer and theologian Ruth Gouldbourne, as together they take an honest and open look at Augustine, Pelagian, and the mystery that is original sin.
Further Reading

We’ve listed some views below for you to read and ponder…

What is Original Sin? - Christianity.com

Original Sin - TheGospelCoalition.org
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