Original Sin

Original Sin in which all human beings are born, is the state of deprivation of original holiness and justice. It is a sin "contracted" by us not "committed"; it is a state of birth and not a personal act. Because of the original unity of all human beings, it is transmitted to the descendants of Adam "not by imitation, but by propagation." The effects of Original Sin are that we are subject to 1)ignorance, 2)suffering, 3) death, and 4) concupiscence. Concupiscence is simply the inclination or tendency to sin.

Most contemporary theologians question the belief that Original Sin is simply a sinful act of "the first man" or is the collective guilt for the sin of one person. However, they do not go so far as to reject the idea of original sin either. Original Sin is more of a history that we are born into and the way in which human history has unfolded. In the twentieth century alone think of World Wars I and II (approximately 70 million people were killed); The Holocaust, Mao's regime in China, Stalin, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, segregation and racism, etc. In other words, we are born into a human history that precedes us. We inherit this history in some way; we have inherited disordered relationships, violence, conflicts, sexism, etc. And whether we are willing to admit it or not, we participate in this sinfulness. We are born into a milieu that has destruction, aggression, racism, and injustice. Because we are historical creatures, we inherit the gritty reality of this history and we are inclined towards selfishness. Now, re-read the definition of original sin: "it is a sin 'contracted' by us not 'committed'; it is a state of birth and not a personal act."

Images of Baptism in the New Testament

Make sure you are familiar with the images, metaphors, and similies St. Paul (as well as other New Testament writers) uses to describe the effects of Baptism. If you did not write down the image from class, make sure you do so on your own.

Group 1: 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:13-14

Group 2: Romans 6:1-19

Group 3: 2 Corinthians 1:21,
1 Peter 2:9

Group 4: Romans 8:12-13

Group 5: Colossians 3:9-11, Galatians 3:27-29

Group 6: John 3:5, Titus 3:5-7

Group 7: Galatians 4:4-5,
Romans 8:14-17, 23

Group 8: Hebrews 10:32,
1 Peter 2:9

Catechumenate and RCIA

Baptism in the early church was primarily for believing adults who had expressed some belief in Jesus (Acts 8-10) and most of the earliest Christians were Jewish. Shortly thereafter there was a wide variety of converts to Christianity -- every person with their own philosophical, cultural, or religious background -- a process of initiation was needed because a simple profession in Jesus was no longer adequate. Therefore, if someone was attracted to the Christian life then they would need a sponsor or member of the Christian community that would help throughout the moral and spiritual formation. This process took roughly two or three years or preparation before they could be presented for baptism into the community. This lengthy process of preparation and formation was called the catechumenate, which in Greek means 'to instruct by word of mouth.' Since persecution and death for the Christian faith were real dangers in the early church, many Christian communities told catechumens little about their meeting places. Although some people believe Christians in the early church lived in hiding, historians disagree with that presumption and argue that Christianity was unofficially tolerated and Christians could be easily identified because of their counter-cultural behavior (no participation in pagan rituals and sacrifices).

Today we refer to the catechumenate as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or RCIA. "Parishes welcome these new members through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and at a liturgy bringing men and women into full communion with the Catholic Church." (USCCB) The stages and steps of the RCIA are: 1) pre-catechumenate, 2) catechumenate, 3) purification & enlightenment, and 4) mystagogy. Please reference your handout from class for more information on each stage.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, photo by Gashwin

After Constantine's Edict in 313 CE it was no longer necessary for Christians communities to have their liturgies in hiding since Christianity became the official religion over night. As the number of conversions increased dramatically it was clear that the lengthy catechumenate process (typically two to three years) must be shortened to accommodate the number of members. The restrictions on permissible occupations for Christians also began to become more lax and it was sometimes difficult to tell whether those who wished to join the church did so out of conviction or convenience (Martos).

Baptism Intro

Water is a natural symbol and it is possibly one of the oldest symbols in human history. Ritual washings, cleansings, and bathings are common in many religious and were even part of the ancient religions of Egypt and Mesopotamia (Martos, 148). It tends to symbolize many things: life, death, cleansing, refreshment, etc. Even today, Hindus bathe in the Ganges river as a symbol of paying homage to their ancestors and cleansing themselves in sacred waters. Similarly, in Judaism Mikvehs (pools with fresh water) have been used for ritual purification washings after sexual intercourse, childbirth, or other activities.

John the Baptist preached a message of conversion and repentance of sins and the many people that underwent his ritual washings in the river Jordan accepted his call for a change of heart. Bapto in Greek means to dip or immerse. It is likely that in the early church adults were fully immersed or submerged in water when they were baptized. It is unlike, however, that children were baptized in the early church. Baptism was mostly for believing adults that had expressed or professed some faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism comes from the Greek word, bapto which means to dip or immerse.

Throughout most of church history there has been a heavy emphasis on the change of heart of conversion that happens with baptism. Conversion is the sincere change of mind, heart, and desire to turn from evil and sin towards God.

Revelation, Incarnation, and Apostolic Tradition

Revelation (def) is God's self-communication to humanity throughout history. Through an utterly free decision, God reveals himself to humanity. God's revelation and communication happen gradually.

Incarnation (def) is the truth of the faith that the Son of God assumed human nature and became man in order to accomplish our salvation in that same human nature. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, is both true God and true man, not part God and part man. The incarnation is not a plus; it's not a mixing together of different things; and it's not as though Jesus is half divine and half human. If we really want to learn about Jesus and God and what the incarnation means, then we should pay very close attention to what Jesus says and what Jesus does. Jesus says whenever you see me, you see the Father because the Father and I are one. You see me, and you see the Father. When you experience me, you experience the reality of who the Father is. When you see what I do, when you see how I act, you experience the reality of God. In this respect, Jesus is the sacrament of God because he points to God the Father. He reveals who God is to humanity.

Apostolic Tradition (def) the apostles transmitted all they received from Christ and learned from the Holy Spirit to their successors, the bishops, and through them to all generations until the end of the world. Scripture and tradition are bound closely together and communicate with one another.

What Faith Is, and What Faith Is Not"

Sign and Symbol Notes

Optional Study Session

There will be an optional review session for the exam on Friday, September 7 in the Criss Auditorium @ 7:10am. The Unit 1 exams will be on Monday and Tuesday.