J
japhy
Guest
I was reading the Compendium to the Catechism today, and I came across a wording that caught my eye: “Original sin, in which all human beings are born, is the state of deprivation of original holiness and justice. It is a sin ‘contracted’ by us not ‘committed’; it is a state of birth and not a personal act.” (Compendium 76)
The Catechism uses the word “born” as well: “Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin…” (CCC 1250), although in that case it is referring specifically to children who have been born (and are thus capable of receiving baptism).
I looked at the Council of Trent (Session V), and it says that original sin is “transfused into all by propogation”, but it doesn’t define that as conception or giving birth.
On the other hand, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception teaches that Mary was kept free from the stain of original sin at the first moment of her conception. And Psalm 51:5 says “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
Is the doctrine of original sin defined to speak specifically of conception?
It occurs to me that Mary could have been kept free from the stain of original sin from the moment of her conception even if original sin is not contracted at the moment of conception, by means of this metaphor: if I am preserved from getting into an accident from the moment I enter a car, that does not imply that accidents necessarily occur at the moment other people enter cars.
Anyway, I’m just looking for clear language as to whether original sin is contracted in conception or at birth.
The Catechism uses the word “born” as well: “Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin…” (CCC 1250), although in that case it is referring specifically to children who have been born (and are thus capable of receiving baptism).
I looked at the Council of Trent (Session V), and it says that original sin is “transfused into all by propogation”, but it doesn’t define that as conception or giving birth.
On the other hand, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception teaches that Mary was kept free from the stain of original sin at the first moment of her conception. And Psalm 51:5 says “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
Is the doctrine of original sin defined to speak specifically of conception?
It occurs to me that Mary could have been kept free from the stain of original sin from the moment of her conception even if original sin is not contracted at the moment of conception, by means of this metaphor: if I am preserved from getting into an accident from the moment I enter a car, that does not imply that accidents necessarily occur at the moment other people enter cars.
Anyway, I’m just looking for clear language as to whether original sin is contracted in conception or at birth.