- Differentiate between God breathing life into the human body and the point of view that separates human beings into a ‘body and soul’
- God breathes life into, animates, the dust to take human shape in a single act of creation from a mud baby. It is notable that God didnt create a baby first but a man, a human at a certain stage of development. Dualist or neo-Platonic thought argues dichotomy between body and soul. Both are separate and independent of the other.
- M.A. is the notion that
- men can make decisions independent of God's will
- humans can distinguish between right and wrong in behavior, beliefs, practices, and standards
- sin is the separation from a relationship with God
- A and E choose their own interests and desires over those of God's and so became alienated from Him.
- Original Sin - the Augustinian notion/interpretation of Paul in Romans: Man inherits the sins of Adam and thus is inherently sinful. Note that no other human figure is presented as without sin in the Bible, Jesus is the partial exception.
- Acts of sin result from our overreaching misuse of gifts of freedom, dignity (misuse of dignity = denial of others' dignity).
Sinful desire leads to negligence of duties to God, the desire to be like God
Acts of sin are specific transgressions of God's law and commands.
legend"
- an etiological legend is a story about the causes or origins of things, using events, people and other items
- an etymological legend is a story about the origins of a word's meaning.
- In your notebook, write a short essay which contrasts the difference between the Greek understanding of hubris and the Christian doctrine of “original sin.”
- hubris in the Greek understanding reflects individualism, nobility, elitism, and moral autonomy.
- The Christian doctrine of O.S. hints at the spiritual results of hubris in man. O.S. is the inherent tendency of man to commit acts of sin, as something beyond man's control.
The original Hebrew bible did not recognize sin as inherent. Man has the divine gift of choice, and free will. Man has only two basic choices: follow God or follow something else. The choice to follow something else results in sin. - It can be argued that man can sin even when intending to follow God. Hubris is placing concern for self above concern for others.
- Record in your notebook meanings for the following terms:
- narrative - a story told about a linear sequence of events involving people and places.
- etiological legend - a story about the causes/origins of something (thing, place, custom)
- typology - interpretative mode of the Old Testament so as to reveal preincarnate Jesus. Old Testament types (figures or events) foreshadow future events. (Noah's Ark is church for God's elect; Passover = Easter).
- "The meaning of the Old Testament must be sought first in its own terms, and not in those imposed by later Christian interpretation." Helpful for understanding, but not intended by original writers.
- etymological legend - a story about the origins of a word
- ruach - Hebrew, wind, storm, spirit (as in the Spirit of God) breath, life; God breathed life into man, not a "soul".
- nephesh - Hebrew, (mortal) soul/spirit = animation + uniqueness
- neshama - Hebrew, breath (also spirit, or rarely, soul) = rarely different from ruach; man is a living creature (sentient being)
- omniscience - knowledge of all things
- moral autonomy - behavior and beliefs and practices and standards are independent of God's command - when we decide for ourselves between good and evil
knowledge of good vs evil - hermeneutic hypothesis: not necessarily the moral sense of distinguishing between good vs evil but omniscience, the knowledge of everything - original sin - man was created perfect in the image of God. Man has free will. Man chose to disobey God. Thus man sinned and was condemned; orig sin is doctrine that man had innate tendency to commit acts of sin. In church doctrine, O.S. is linked to the Fall of A and E. - stemmed from St. Augustine.
- The serpent suggested that man could go beyond God-imposed limitations, that man could become God.
- God empowered some but not all men with discernment and ability to judge ON HIS BEHALF, not independently of Him; those empowered are prophets and priests.
- hubris - Greek - (overreaching) pride - Titanism vs humility - Titans ruled the heavens in Greek mythology until they were deposed by Zeus and cast into the depths beneath Tartarus.
hubris is exaggerated pride or self-confidence often resulting in retribution.
In Ancient Greek it refers to a reckless disregard for the personal space of other people coupled with lack of control over one's own impulses: insolence and lack of restraint - duty - what we are obligated to do, we ought to do as defined by code of ethics and agreed to by us as right and proper
- desires - what we want to do - acted on when neither fear of disobedience nor perception of properness of duty have any effect
- alienation - when individual, personal desires outweigh concern for the other; relationships become estranged; in alienation, the companion ceases to be in communion, the prevention of loneliness no longer has that function vs altruism
- Other religions have their stories to explain human behavior. See what stories you can find from other major faiths or from the stories told by Native Americans or people native to Africa.
- What do you think of the idea that we sin even when we do not intend to do so, or are unaware that this has happened? Temptation is easy to act on, because we don't consider the consequences of our actions. It's a deterministic approach to human behavior, and presupposes a single answer to issues we have. It assumes the theistic viewpoint.
- What can we do to save ourselves from sin?
- evangelical - accept Jesus Christ as lord and savior in our lives. only one man was without sin. nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ
- ecumenical/historical - save ourselves from overreaching pride.
- Act with reserve and humility, not on instinct
- Pray before acting.
- Act responsibly and be aware of commissions and omissions.
- Do justice in the world.
- Honor the bonds of community.
- The "upward fall" of man - the Fall was not a detrimental event but an empowering event, an entry into moral and ethical responsibility. Righteousness is possible only when a moral person makes decisions.
Moral responsibility belongs to humans alone. The serpent was not the Devil.
Our bad decisions have an effect on nature - serpent is cursed. Evil is often the result of unintentional actions. Temptation comes in ways we too often do not recognize in time. Impaired relationships resulting from the Fall (interpersonal, man with God, man with earth).
We interpret Genesis linearly, front to back, but it shouldnt be considered so literally. It is several collections of sources and traditions, and not necessarily to be understood from beginning to end.
Israel's history is narrated in the Pent, and the creation stories/etiological legends are appended to the beginning. Yahwist moves backwards from history to establishing God as supreme creator
snake in ancient culture symbolized wisdom, fertility, immortality
good and evil = everything, knowledge of gande? = omniscience
second creation story (JE story) has naturalism, and differentiates male from female when Adam names woman. (cf first creation story (P) which is undifferentiated until much later)
Gen 3:15 - seed of woman strike serpent head striking heel to seed
