My response to the above scenario would begin with the view that in that state of holiness, Adam (as Adam and Eve) more than represented humanity. They were in such unity with what it meant to be human, that their decision was our decision. If there had been offspring before the fall, given what has been revealed, they would have gotten together and had a picnic eating of that fruit.
That is very insightful!
But does it lean too heavily on a rationalist metaphor/Type approach to “persons” in Genesis where Adam is no longer a real, individual, historical individual (as are Eve and their children) each with their own will and mind?
If we take this approach too strongly we deny humans their God given intrinsic nature.
It is our intrinsic nature, when mature, to choose as individuals and separate ourselves from “the herd”. This choice can be made righteously and in holiness - though most of the time it is indeed done in anger and disobedience and sin.
I agree solidarity is a fundamental virtue/principle in the Garden (as it is for Redemption) but solidarity has an object higher than one’s own species. Solidarity is primarily to God. There is good solidarity and bad solidarity.
I therefore believe “solidarity” is tied up in choice, and therefore in original Sin itself.
I am dubious that we have to hold that the innocent pre-Fall human species is by nature so tied to a species-solidarity (however that might be caused) that what Adam is said to choose all must be said to so choose.
Yes it is intrinsic to original sin that both divine and inter-species solidarity was lost.
I might almost agree that this choosing to be an individual is at the core of sin.
But not quite.
There is nothing sinful about choosing to be an individual per se.
In fact that choice is at the heart of what it means to possess human nature.
To mature is to make decisions for ourselves by our own lights and not blindly follow the herd. So if there were multiple pre-Fall humans then the Fall of its Patriach does not seem to intrinsically necessitate all must Fall.
Yes, future progeny of the Fallen will be born Fallen (OS is spread by generation)
Yes, the immature present progeny will probably Fall due to the natural solidarity you mention and the poor example of the patriach.
But I cannot see an intrinsic reason why mature pre-Fallen progeny must Fall.
It is in the nature of mature innocent humans to choose, and that includes choosing who to be in solidarity with.
Solidarity with the Creator is a clear and present good greater than solidarity with members of one’s own race who are no longer in solidarity with their Creator. A terrible choice, but a possible and clearly proper one nevertheless.
It is interesting that we have a much better example of this scenario in the angels at their first moment of creation. It seems that Lucifer was also the “Patriach” of all the angels (the one most perfect in nature and therefore closest to God by both grace and nature). We could expect the species-solidarity principle you raise to work in this scenario also.
(I accept the situation is not quite the same as humans. Each angel is in fact its own species but clearly there is a similar "angelic-solidarity/community principle operating ).
Yet not all the angels Fell with Lucifer.
Free choice to be “individuals” (to break solidarity) operated within all the angels
This in itself is not the sin - it is a good freedom given by angelic nature (as it is in humans). The sin is to choose personal or species-solidarity over Divine solidarity.
Thats my take anyhow.
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