original sin

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original sin

original sin in Christian theology, the sin of Adam , by which all humankind fell from divine grace . Saint Augustine was the fundamental theologian in the formulation of this doctrine, which states that the essentially graceless nature of humanity requires redemption to save it. The purpose of baptism is to wash away original sin and to restore the individual to an innocent state, although even after baptism a tendency to sin remains as a result of original sin.

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original sin

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Â© The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable 2006, originally published by Oxford University Press 2006. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

original sin the tendency to evil supposedly innate in all human beings, held to be inherited from Adam in consequence of the Fall. The concept of original sin was established by the writings of St Augustine and the view of some early theologians that the human will is capable of good without the help of divine grace was branded a heresy.

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "original sin." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 21 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "original sin." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (December 21, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-originalsin.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "original sin." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Oxford University Press. 2006. Retrieved December 21, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-originalsin.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	What happened to original sin? (the Catholic Church's inconsistent positions) (On The Other Hand) Magazine article from: The Humanist; 3/1/1994
	With limbo gone, original sin may be in peril.(COLUMNS) Magazine article from: National Catholic Reporter; 3/24/2006
	The Fall to Violence: Original Sin in Relational Theology.(Brief Article) Magazine article from: The Christian Century; 5/24/1995

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