Sin

covenant

A binding agreement/relationship

Us and the world

Because we share a common world, we are part of a network of relationships that joins each of us responsibly to others and to all of creation. We all know that we violate the ecological balance of nature when we put toxins into our air and water or throw hamburger foil wrappers out the car window. We violate our moral ecology when we create discord, dissension, fear, mistrust, and alienation in the web of life's relationships

legal model of sin as a crime

Catholics thought that living morally was mostly a matter of obeying the law: -the divine law or the commandments of God, the ecclesial (church) law or the natural laws expressed in the moral teaching of the Church -"it's in the Bible" or "The Church says so" were often our most important reasons for being moral -Sin was like a crime, a transgression of the law

original sin meaning

Essential meaning: every human being begins life in a state of alienation from God insofar as without grace we will be unable to rise to the level of existence God has planned for us

Redemption

God became flesh in order to redeem humanity, gift of love for all of us, died to save us from sin

Incarnation and Redemption

God never gave up on us -To bring failed humanity back to him, he sent his son who lived, died , and was resurrected to redeem us of our sins -God never abandoned humanity

notes:

God the Father, through the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus saved the world from sin Given the Paschal Mystery, salvation here implies being saved from sin

God and evil

God will ultimately triumph over evil. The Christian message not only speaks about the death of Jesus Christ, it also proclaims his resurrection from the dead. Jesus' resurrection is more than a happy ending to his personal story; it is a promise of what lies ahead for the whole world. It means God will ultimately triumph over evil, both natural and moral evil. (evil = death)

ethical

Having to do with morals, values, right and wrong

We are dependent on each other

I am because you are, and since you are, therefore I am

why did Jesus die

Jesus died to prove his immense love for us. His death was the perfect sacrifice for our salvation -remission of our sins

incarnation

Jesus died to redeem us from since God becoming flesh

original sin

NT speaks of the consequence of sin. Sin results in a hardening of heart -The Genesis story has been accepted by tradition as a historical account of the primal sin which gave rise to the sinfulness passed on genetically to all of Adam's descendants -It implies a historic "Fall" of humans from an idyllic state at the dawn of history. This gives the impression that Incarnation and Redemption were kind of a back-up plan devised by God to overcome the "Fall" from Adam's sin.

laws by themselves don't address important realities of the heart

Our attitudes: Are we kind or hostile? Intentions: Do we strive to be helpful of self-serving? Ways of seeing things: Do we look through the eyes of faith? Optimistic or pessimistic? -Jesus reminds us that what comes from the heart is what makes on sinful. Sinful actions are like the tip of an iceberg being held above the surface by a wayward heart (Is 29:13; Mt 23:25-26; Lk 6:45)

Today's understanding of sin

Relational between God, our fellow humans, and nature

Primary moral concepts

Responsibility has replaced obligation as the primary characteristic of the moral life. Shifts in philosophy have emphasized the dignity of persons and the value of sharing life in society Relational model of moral life: Shifts in theology and philosophy support a relational model of the moral life that emphasizes personal responsibility for protecting the bonds of peace and justice that sustain human relationships. Our moral life effects the quality of life and love in his primary relationships Conversion: Confession for sins committed should reflect contemporary theology's emphasis on responsibility to others over the transitional overemphasis on what is allowed or forbidden by law. Rather than focusing on just on committing sinful acts, it shows that sin is also an omission, a failure to do what out to be done.

God and death

So while struggles remain with us now to bring good out of evil, Christian death has the confidence that this will not be an endless struggle; God will eventually be the victor This belief and hope are very important in helping people cope with their suffering now, and often there in no happy resolution forseeable in our lifetime.

other dimensions of sin:

The Christian tradition never saw sin as a purely private affair affecting only a sinner and God Every sin has a social dimension. Personal and communal sins affect the area of primary relationships between people and the complex structure of organized society. Examples: hunger, poverty, and misery do not just happen but are the result of socio-economic and political relationships

legal model: insufficient

Today the legal model for understanding the moral life and sin is deficient. The demands of being a faithful follower of Jesus, of living according to the vision and values of the gospel. The legal model of the moral life too easily makes moral living a matter of repeating the same old behaviors even though we-and out world-have changed -The legal model also tends to focus too much on the actions that we do as being sinful or not. Did I miss Mass? Did I cheat on an exam or on my taxes? Did I disobey my parents?

what is sin?

a free and deliberate disobedience of a creature to the known will of God. It is primarily a religious and theological reality, a symbol which expresses our alienation from God. -Biblically sin has a religious dimension before being ethical. King David's sin of adultery and murder were against fellow human beings and the order of society, but in the moment of conversion he acknowledges them as sins against God.

liturgy

a pattern of prayer or worship celebration of the word of god

Read:

chapters 11 and 12 (139-163)

the following chapters:

discuss the Biblical and theological understanding of sin in the Christian belief. The concept of sin is central to the Christian faith. The gospels present the good news of Christ as victory over sin, and the freedom he brings as forgiveness of sin The reconstruction of the meaning of the term sin (Cf pp. 141ff)

salvation

divine solution to sin

white lie

lie which a person feels is not serious or has few consequences

new theological view of sin

looking at moral concepts -a new look at the moral life has been informed by the biblical renewal in the Church and by some philosophical shifts within the Church and society -The Bible renewal has given us Covenant, Heart and Conversion-not Law-as our primary moral concepts

Understanding of sin today

moral life today: -the new ways of looking at morality and sin is resulted in part from new ways of understanding what it means to be human -the rediscovery of old ideas that the Bible and Jesus taught about how we ought to relate to God and to one another

the ills of life

not only produced by sickness and natural disasters, but also by moral evil fir which humans are responsible Human beings abuse one another verbally, physically, and sexually They steal and kill. They lie and break promises. They are unkind to one another. They ignore the suffering of other people. They are blind to the delicate balance of nature, and treat nature as though it exists purely for human use.

sin is

one of the basic words of Christian tradition. Christian liturgy uses symbols indicating faith in the forgiveness of sin, provides texts for the celebration of this belief at the Eucharist we are reminded that the blood of Christ is shed "so that the sins may be forgiven"

sin

our relations with God and our relation with others, rupture of those relationships God, humans, and nature relational

idyllic state

perfect state of life offered by God free from sin or anything else everything is given to you as long as you obey what is told

venial sin

personal sin that weakens but does not kill our relationship with God

moral evil

prevalent and obvious fact of human experience, every religion and every view of life gives answer to the question: "What is wrong with us human beings?" The Christian answer to this question is sin. Human beings are meant to live with faith in God, love for other people, and respect for other creatures, These relationships are the destiny for which God has created humans. The most fundamental relationship is the relationship with God, the ultimate source and the final goal of life. A sound relationship with God means a sound relationship with other people and creatures.

morality

principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. what is right or wrong of human behavior and what is good or bad of human actions

aspects of sin

religious: breaking God's laws ethical: affects without a religious component that you ought not to do something because it is bad/ goes against traditional human understanding and conscience

Eucharist

remembrance of what Jesus did on the Last Supper celebration of this action

redemption

the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.

legalities and sin

the legal model also tends to make the moral life too centered on one's self Sin affects me and my salvation. Saving my soul through obedience is the guiding moral principle according to this model. This leaves out, however, the all-important relational dimensions of sin and conversion Sin affect relationships with God, Humans, and the Moral Universe (nature) As St. Paul teaches, no one lives for oneself ( Rom 14:7). As the Body of Christ, we suffer together and rejoice together (1 Cor 12:26-27)

mortal sin

very serious sin that breaks a person's friendship with God -can bring death