The Catholic Understanding of Original Sin versus the Jewish Understanding of Original Sin

[thunderbolt94]

Hello everyone,

I was recently studying more about the doctrine of original sin, and I’ve been wanting to understand how the concept (as Catholics believe it) is different from the Jewish and Islamic understanding of original sin is. I understand that in Judaism the concept of original sin (they do not believe in the doctrine of original sin). In relation to the Fall, Wikipedia states the following:

“Judaism and Islam interpret the account of the fall as being simply historical, Adam and Eve’s disobedience would have already been known to God even before he created them, thus draw no particular theological implications for human nature.[citation needed] That is, man’s setting, condition, and environment have in essence changed - but not man himself. Quite simply, because of Adam’s actions, he and his wife were removed from the garden, forced to work, suffer pain in childbirth, and die. However, even after expelling them from the garden, God provided that people who honor God and follow God’s laws would be rewarded, while those who acted wrongly would be punished.”

My question is this: If it is the case that Christianity is the only monotheistic religion that believes in the Fall and Original Sin, then how could Christianity (Catholicism particularly) be a “continuation” of Judaism, if Judaism itself does not believe in the concept? Did we simply add more theology when we accept the OT as canon? Or does that mean we are seeing it through the eyes of Christ?

If anyone can help me here, I would greatly appreciate it. God Bless.

 

[Heuchler]

I’m not exactly sure where the belief came. My guess would be that it was in some Jewish traditions but the majority of Judaism doesn’t recognise it (at least at this point of history). Otherwise, I’m not sure why the Jewish people would go to John the baptist to be baptised for the forgiveness of sins, if the other ways were more mainstream ways in Judaism. However, I don’t know what role baptism has in the Jewish tradition if any or if it is mentioned anywhere in the Old testament.

 

[NeelyAnn]

My question is this: If it is the case that Christianity is the only monotheistic religion that believes in the Fall and Original Sin, then how could Christianity (Catholicism particularly) be a “continuation” of Judaism, if Judaism itself does not believe in the concept? Did we simply add more theology when we accept the OT as canon? Or does that mean we are seeing it through the eyes of Christ?

If anyone can help me here, I would greatly appreciate it. God Bless.

I don’t know what the Jews believe regarding Original Sin, but it is certain that we have a much more complete Revelation than they received. The Deposit of Faith (which consists of the doctrines of Catholicism) was handed down from Jesus and the Apostles to us. The Revelation that Jesus delivered is much more complete than what the Jews had.

One doctrine in particular that the Jews were unaware of is the Trinity. They knew that God was one, but they did not realize He was One God in three distinct Persons. When Genesis said “let us (plural) create man in our image”, they did not realize the “us” referred to the Three Persons of the Godhead.

 

[manualman]

A tremendous amount of the Old Testament is revealed fully in the New Testament (and vice versa). The meaning of the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, the time God requested Isaac sacrifice his son to God, the lifting of the serpent on the pole to heal the Israelites who had been bitten… The list is very long.

It may be that prior to the Church, Israel didn’t recognize the doctrine of Original Sin in the Adam and Eve account. Or it may have been recognized and that portion of Judaism that held that point may have been among those who converted (refer to Richard John Neuhaus’s theory that most Jews actually became christians, accounting for the drastic drop in Jewish numbers before vs after Christ).

But the fall is (IMO, of course) one of the most obviously brilliant insights on human nature that marks catholicism different than other faiths. There are religions that focus on man being totally depraved since Adam, there are those who think man fundamentally good and able to rise above his problems via ‘progress’ (as if that explained itself). Nowhere else do you find the belief that man is created good, remains basically good, but is doomed by a self-inflicted fatal flaw that will destroy him without help from above.