Activity 1 - What main message is N.T Wright taking from the Genesis story ?

Activity 2 – look at Genesis 1 and 2, compare and contrast. Genesis 1Genesis 2

Activity 3 Read Genesis Chapter 3 – Summarise the key events

Sin and The Fall “ You will have to work hard and sweat to make the soil produce anything, until you go back to the soil from which you were formed. You were made from soil, and you will become soil again." (Genesis 3: 19) Genesis 3: 1–19 is an account of how sin and death entered the world. Adam and Eve, as the first humans, lost their life in paradise as a result of their disobedience to God’s commands. Readings of this passage led Christian thinkers to believe that the sin of Adam and Eve meant the rest of humanity also lost perfection and innocence. It brought suffering and decay into God’s perfect creation. Others have seen the account as a way of explaining disorder and evil in the world as a result of human failure. The world as we know it, with disease and death, was not the world that God created, or intended. Human failings have brought sin and death into creation.

Original Sin Due to Adam and Eve’s failures in the Garden of Eden, the whole of humanity carries the same stain of sin and suffers and dies. Humanity needs God’s grace in order to be rescued from their situation. St Augustine saw that human free will was weakened, though not totally destroyed, by sin. Like a pair of unbalanced scales, evil intentions and choices often would, under the influence of original sin, outweigh good intentions and choices.

The Human Condition The consequences of The Fall (a) Alienation from God If you are alienated from someone, you are like a stranger to him or her. At the fall, humanity was alienated from God. They could only hope for reconciliation brought about by God. Without that move, humanity could not fulfill their purpose to be in relationship with God. (b) Alienation from each other Adam tries to blame Eve for his disobedience. Eve then blames the serpent. Neither wants to take responsibility for their actions. Humans are set against each other and all of creation.

ACTIVITY 4 In pairs, consider the following questions from a Christian perspective. How are Adam and Eve’s sins and failures similar to the rest of humanity’s sins and failures? What do Christians understand by ‘alienation’? To what extent do Christians see the human condition of sin and death as a direct result of the fall?

The Effect of Sin “ You will have to work hard and sweat to make the soil produce anything, until you go back to the soil from which you were formed. You were made from soil, and you will become soil again." (Genesis 3: 19) The source reveals that humanity’s disobedience will lead to death.

In the source from Genesis we have seen that humanity sinned when it disobeyed God and acted from self-interest. The breaking of God’s laws is also a result of humanity’s sin. Sin in the Bible

Whether they believe the historical account of the Genesis story or not, the story of The Fall does serve to provide some Christians with a framework to try and understand human free choice and the connection of all humanity with sin. The root of sin, suffering and death is humanity’s wrong moral choices and disobedience.

Activity 5 Read page 29 of pink book and complete all questions

Copy into jotter :So the human condition is … A state of alienation (being hostile or estranged / separated) – from God from other humans from ourselves from creation / nature

Why are we in this state of alienation ? Christians say: because of SIN

Sin…. An inner tendency to go our own way rather than God’s.

Activity 6 Read the two views on original sin from the worksheet and answer the questions in your jotter.

The Human Condition - Summary

What is the Human Condition? Human beings are created good by God but they suffer and die. God – one creator, God’s relationship with human beings, humans created good, ‘ imago dei’ ‘stewards of creation’, moral conscience, God’s gift of freewill Source: Gen 1: 1-2, 25

What is the cause of the human condition? The Fall – suffering and death are a result of human disobedience, disobedience is the result of the misuse of freewill. Sin – the nature and effects of sin; alienation through sin can be overcome because of the fulfilment of Gods promise of salvation. 2 different understandings of the Fall – literal / mythical etc. Source: Gen

Exam Question According to Christians, how did sin come into the world and what are its effects? (8KU)

!!! HOMEWORK TASK – You have one wee k Design a piece of artwork entitled ‘Sin’. A collage of images might work – have a look at paintings by Salvador Dali or Hieronymus Bosch for ideas.

Activity 7 Joe Walker bk read pages Answer all questions page 43