Catholic vs Calvinist view of Sin

[smp501]

Hi! What is the Catholic view of sin and depravity, and how is it similar/different to the Reformed/Calvinist view? I’m mainly questioning the view that humans are so sinful that we can do absolutely nothing good on our own, and that it is only through Christ’s righteousness that we are considered righteous. that From what I’ve understood of Reformed theology, the idea is that whenever someone does good, deep down there are sinful motives. What does the Catholic Church say? Can people do good things or are even good deeds tainted beyond recognition by sin?

 

[edward_george]

Here’s a good article on the subject from Jimmy Akin:

catholic.com/thisrock/1993/9309fea1.asp

-ACEGC

 

[starsmurf]

Hi! What is the Catholic view of sin and depravity, and how is it similar/different to the Reformed/Calvinist view? I’m mainly questioning the view that humans are so sinful that we can do absolutely nothing good on our own, and that it is only through Christ’s righteousness that we are considered righteous. that From what I’ve understood of Reformed theology, the idea is that whenever someone does good, deep down there are sinful motives. What does the Catholic Church say? Can people do good things or are even good deeds tainted beyond recognition by sin?

I converted from a Presbyterian Church to Catholicism. My priest explained that original sin was like a time he was in his car and a careless driver ran into him. The damage seemed to only be to the bodywork and the car started with no problem. It wasn’t until he started driving that he realised that in order to keep the car going straight ahead, he had to turn the steering wheel to the left! We are like that, our moral “steering” is a bit wonky. Without God to help us by turning it to the left, we cannot follow the straight path He wants us to.

I would not accept that we cannot do anything good. Yes, we need God’s grace to do so but that doesn’t make it any less of a good. CS Lewis compared it to a small child using the pocket money a parent gives them to buy that parent a birthday present. It is technically the parent’s own money that bought the present, but the parent doesn’t care, they are delighted with the gift their little child gave them. God doesn’t care that we need His help, He just rejoices in the good act. If there are still some sinful motivations clinging to the act, God still sees the good we did do, just as a parent doesn’t care that their child’s homemade present isn’t perfect. They see that the child did their best and that is what matters to the parent.

One of the things I have found so comforting in the Catholic Church is the viewpoints on sin. The fact that there is a definate way to make amends for sin and to show our repentance is something that has helped me in my spiritual growth. I find it much healthier and more spiritually enriching than the teachings on sin that I had at my old church.

 

[smp501]

That clears it up! Thank you!