1. Sin

2. Gen 4:1-16 Cain and Abel- Sin grows Why did Cain kill Abel?
Jealousy?
Conflict between herdsmen and farmers?
Punishment- Exile- expulsion from the tribe
As people break faith with God so also with each other.
Sin alienates
Person from God- Hiding
Person from self- Shame
Person from nature- Suffering and death
Person from person- Murder and blaming

3. Sin and Reconciliation
Problem of Evil
If there is a good and omnipotent God why is there evil and suffering in the world?
Pervasiveness of sin
Universal experience
Small and large matters
Communal
Cumulative

4. Images from SS Missing the mark- Image of an archer
Sin is seen as anything that is a deviation from our goal- God
Not only are the big obvious things sins (murder, adultery, etc.) but anything that turns us from God.
St. Francis- Sin is a failure to Love

5. Hardness of Heart- Ez 36
Sin is not only in our actions but also our attitudes- Mt 5
Being a selfish, loveless, or unfeeling to the needs of others can be a sin.
7 capital sins (Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony and Lust) are not actions but attitudes

6. Karl Menninger (Psychologist)
What Ever Became of Sin?
Without an idea of sin we lose a sense of values in what we think and do
With no sense of wrong there is no right and no purpose to actions
Limits moral growth if there is no sin to overcome

7. 2 kinds of sin
Original
Effect of Adam and Eve (Monogenism or polygenism)
Inherited through generation (not learned)
Removed at baptism
Effects remain
Concupiscence
Suffering and death
Separation

8. Basic teachings on Baptism
Original Sin (Trent- Church council 16th C)
Man was created in justice and holiness
Through an abuse of free choice (sin), we lost this justice and holiness
We were changed for the worse body and soul- death (physical and spiritual)

9. 3. Passed on by propogation not imitation- universal
2. This sin (not just punishment) is passed on to descendants
3. Passed on by propogation not imitation- universal
-Even infants have O.S.
- Only remedy is Christ’s redemptive act
-Accessed through baptism- Act of Faith
4. Because infants have original sin they are to be baptized

10. 5. Through baptism the sin is removed but not all of the effects
Concupiscence remains- tendency to sin
Distortion of reason
Debilitation of the will
Original sin is contracted not committed
A state not an act
Part of human nature
Not a total corruption but a woundedness and an inclination to sin
Monogenism or polygenism?
Doesn’t matter for original sin. We still need redemption

11. Personal sin (actual sin)
Mortal Sin (Latin mors=death)
3 requirements
Grave matter
Full knowledge
Full consent
If a requirement is missing it is either a venial sin or not a sin at all.
While we can destroy our relationship with God through one act, more often we build it up of tear it down over time
Can involve actions or omissions

12. Sin in the Christian Tradition
Paul- Awareness of the tendency to sin
Romans 7:14-19
Concupiscence
By having an awareness of his weaknesses he can hope to overcome them
Why the Church points out sin
Paul connects sin and law (commandments).

13. Has sin changed today? Sin hasn’t but the way we view it has
View sin in terms of relationship
-Rather than law
-With God, self and others
See it in terms of positive morality rather than negative.
- Instead of a list of prohibitions we look to see if a principle is missing in an action or omission.
Concerned with being over doing. More difficult

14. 3. Focus on persons
-No action is done in isolation
-What were the underlying attitudes and motivations?
4. Emphasize sin as against God in our neighbor (horizontal perspective of sin)
-We often hurt our relationship with God most when we sin against those around us.

15. 5. Social dimensions of sin
All sin is social in that it effects others but there are social mentalities and institutions that are sinful
No one person is responsible but all share in the responsibility
As long as you are part of the society
How much do you encourage or support it?

16. Social Sin 1. Social behavior patterns that encourage or support sin
Teen violence- supported by ? Easy access to weapons? Media? Games? Music? Etc?
2. Societal Values that cause sin
Individualism, Consumerism, hedonism, etc.
Values contrary to Christian ones
By their nature are harmful and sinful

17. 3. Sinful Social Structures
Unfair tax system, legal system, class structure
The structures are created that treat people unfairly. (Sexist, Racist, etc.)
Create a society that is inherently unfair or immoral

18. Sin in the Christian Message
Gospel perspective
Forgiveness- Jesus shows his power over sin by forgiving it
Healing miracles
We are aware of sin but we don’t let it stop us from doing good
With God’s help we can overcome it.

19. Jesus is our redeemer and liberator
Redemption= To set free (image of a slave)
Our relationship with God is restored
Jesus in his death and resurrection showed that sin and death can be overcome
While it is personal, it isn’t individualistic
Seen in terms of community
We are free to do good
Active not passive

20. Shame and Guilt Guilt- A healthy awareness of the evil we do.
Helps us uncover and overcome our weaknesses
See that I made a mistake
Shame- A self-destructive attitude of self loathing
I am a mistake