Episode 2 — What Do Christians Mean by Original Sin?

Episode Overview

The doctrine of Original Sin has shaped how Western Christianity understands salvation, grace, human nature, and the Gospel itself. But what exactly is Original Sin, and how did this doctrine develop?

In this episode, we begin examining how different Christian traditions have understood humanity’s fall. We explore the historical development of Original Sin, how it became central to Western theology, and how Eastern Christianity approaches the problem of human brokenness differently.

This episode lays the foundation for understanding why differences in the doctrine of the Fall lead to very different understandings of salvation.

In This Episode

• What the doctrine of Original Sin teaches • The historical development of Original Sin in Western Christianity • Differences between inherited guilt and ancestral corruption • How Augustine influenced Western views of sin and human nature • Why theology built on Original Sin shapes doctrines like grace, election, and atonement • How Eastern Christianity frames the human problem in terms of death, corruption, and the fear of death • Why diagnosing the human problem differently changes how salvation is understood

Key Themes

The Diagnosis Determines the Cure How Christians understand humanity’s fall directly shapes how they understand salvation and the Gospel.

Historical Development of Doctrine The doctrine of Original Sin developed over time and became foundational to Western Christian theology.

Eastern vs. Western Christian Anthropology Different understandings of sin, death, and human nature lead to different theological frameworks.

Why This Matters

If humanity’s primary problem is understood as inherited guilt, salvation will be understood primarily as legal forgiveness.

If humanity’s primary problem is death and corruption, salvation becomes healing, restoration, and participation in divine life.

Understanding this difference helps explain why Eastern Orthodoxy often approaches salvation differently than Western Christianity.

Who This Episode Is For

• Christians wanting to understand the doctrine of Original Sin • Listeners exploring the differences between Western and Eastern Christianity • Catechumens and theological inquirers • Anyone interested in the historical development of Christian doctrine

Coming Next

In the next episode, we begin exploring how early Christianity described humanity before the Fall, including the distinction between being “very good” and being fully perfected.