Early Christians prior to St. Augustine did not believe in original sin. Original sin is an idea that St. Augustine came up with. St. Augustine was the Bishop of Hippo in the 400s A.D. So, nearly 400 years after Jesus the idea of original sin came to be in the Western church. It gradually became popular in the Western church, but not the East. If you believe that original sin is passed down generation to generation via child birth, then you need to explain the Virgin Mary and Jesus. If Jesus did not have original sin, then did Mary? If Mary did not have original sin, then did she ever die? So, Roman Catholics believe Mary did not have original sin and of course, Jesus did not either. Neither died of old age, rather Jesus came back to life after His execution and Mary was assumed into heaven.
The Eastern church to this day does not believe in original sin. The Eastern church believes mortality is passed down from Adam and Even, but their notion is different from original sin. Since they do not believe in original sin, it is not necessary for them to have a notion of the immaculate conception. Thus, they believe that Mary did die, but Jesus immediately resurrected her and they both were assumed into heaven.
It seems that original sin is a critical doctrine to many protestant traditions like the Calvinists. Since the protestants are an offshoot of the Western Roman Catholic Church, this makes sense. However, what I am highlighting is that original sin is not in the Bible and early Christians did not believe in it. It was an idea that St. Augustine came up with hundreds of years later in philosophy and theology.
I am not saying that original sin is wrong or taking any position on it. But I find it interesting that the Christians who want everything to come from the Bible end up basing their entire theology around a non-biblical idea that was thought up by a former Manichean and philosopher turned Roman Catholic bishop.
I wonder, are Roman Catholics REQUIRED to believe in original sin or can you have an Eastern view of mortality? Are Calvinists ALLOWED to not believe in original sin since it is not in the Bible?
The Eastern church to this day does not believe in original sin. The Eastern church believes mortality is passed down from Adam and Even, but their notion is different from original sin. Since they do not believe in original sin, it is not necessary for them to have a notion of the immaculate conception. Thus, they believe that Mary did die, but Jesus immediately resurrected her and they both were assumed into heaven.
It seems that original sin is a critical doctrine to many protestant traditions like the Calvinists. Since the protestants are an offshoot of the Western Roman Catholic Church, this makes sense. However, what I am highlighting is that original sin is not in the Bible and early Christians did not believe in it. It was an idea that St. Augustine came up with hundreds of years later in philosophy and theology.
I am not saying that original sin is wrong or taking any position on it. But I find it interesting that the Christians who want everything to come from the Bible end up basing their entire theology around a non-biblical idea that was thought up by a former Manichean and philosopher turned Roman Catholic bishop.
I wonder, are Roman Catholics REQUIRED to believe in original sin or can you have an Eastern view of mortality? Are Calvinists ALLOWED to not believe in original sin since it is not in the Bible?