Part One: The Profession of Faith › Section Two of Part One: The Profession of the Christian Faith: The Creeds ›› CHAPTER 1: I Believe in God the Father ››› Article 1: “I Believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth” ›››› §7 The Fall

› IN BRIEF

Questions and Answers

397. What question is raised by the existence of moral evil in God’s creatures? (CCC 385) By the existence of moral evil in God’s creatures the question of the origin of evil is raised.
398. Who says that “where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more”? (CCC 388) St Paul says that “where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more” (Rom 5).
399. What is sin in respect to God? (CCC 386) In respect to God sin is man’s rejection of and opposition to Him.
400. In which light alone is the evil of sin unmasked? (CCC 386) The evil of sin is unmasked in the light of the relation of man to God.
401. Why is sin never an act of true freedom? (CCC 387) Sin is never an act of true freedom, because in sinning man does not use but rather abuses freedom.
In the moment of sinning the sinner is not using but losing his free will.
402. Who is the human source of sin? (CCC 388) Adam is the human source of sin.
403. Where is the account of original sin given? (CCC 390) The account of original sin is given in Gen 3.
404. What does Lateran IV teach about the Fall of the angels? (CCC 391) Lateran IV (AD 1215) teaches about the Fall of the angels that:
1. the Devil and the other demons were created naturally good by God, but
2. they became evil by their own doing.
405. Where does the Bible mention the sin of the fallen angels? (CCC 392) The Bible mentions the sin of the fallen angels in 2 Pet 2.
406. Why is the sin of the fallen angels unforgivable? (CCC 393) The sin of the fallen angels is unforgivable because of the irrevocable character of their choice.
Angels do not think discursively, they know once and for all. So when they sinned, they sinned once and for all.
407. What does Christ call the Devil in Jn 8? (CCC 394) In Jn 8 Christ calls the Devil “a murderer from the beginning”.
408. Why is the power of Satan strong but not infinite? (CCC 395) The power of Satan is strong, because he is a spirit, but not infinite, because he is a creature.
409. Why does Providence permit diabolical activity? (CCC 395) Why Providence permits diabolical activity is a great mystery.
But “to them that love God all things work together unto good” (Rom 8).
410. What are the two biblical loci classici on original sin? (CCC 397) The two biblical loci classici on original sin are Gen 3 and Rom 5.
411. What is the immediate consequence of original sin? (CCC 399-400) The immediate consequence of original sin is:
1. the loss of original holiness
2. the loss of original justice.
412. How does the loss of original holiness affect man? (CCC 399) The loss of original holiness affects man by making him become afraid of God.
413. How does the loss of original justice affect man? (CCC 400) The loss of original justice affects man by destroying the threefold harmony in which he found himself.
414. What threefold harmony is broken by the loss of original justice? (CCC 400) By the loss of original justice the threefold harmony between soul and body, man and woman and man and creation is broken.
415. What was the first sin after the original sin? (CCC 401) The first sin after the original sin was Cain’s murder of his brother Abel.
416. What consequence did Adam’s sin have for humanity according to St Paul? (CCC 402) According to St Paul, Adam’s sin had as consequence for humanity that by one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners (Rom 5).
417. How does Trent call original sin? (CCC 403) Trent calls the original sin “death of the soul”.
The Council of Trent (AD 1545-63) followed the Reformation. It rejected Protestantism and reinforced orthodoxy.
418. Why do tiny infants need to be baptised for the remission of sins? (CCC 403) Tiny infants need to be baptised for the remission of sins, because they are born with the sin of Adam.
419. Why are all men implicated in Adam’s sin? (CCC 404) All men are implicated in Adam’s sin, because it affected human nature which Adam then transmitted in a fallen state to his offspring.
420. Why is original sin called “sin” only in an analogical sense? (CCC 404) Original sin is called “sin” only in an analogical sense, because it is a sin contracted and not committed.
Original sin is a state, not an act.
421. Did original sin totally corrupt human nature? (CCC 405) No, original sin did not totally corrupt but only wounded human nature.
422. What are the wounds of human nature caused by original sin? (CCC 405) The wounds of human nature caused by original sin are:
1. the four wounds of the soul (ignorance, weakness, concupiscence, malice)
2. the two wounds of the body (suffering, death).
423. What is concupiscence? (CCC 405) Concupiscence is man’s inclination to evil.
424. What are the chief effects of baptism? (CCC 405) The chief effects of baptism are to:
1. erase the guilt of original sin
2. turn men back to God.
425. Which consequences of original sin persist in man after baptism? (CCC 405) The wounds of human nature persist in man after baptism as consequences of original sin.
426. For what purpose do the wounds of human nature persist after baptism? (CCC 405) The wounds of human nature persist after Baptism in order to summon man to spiritual battle.
427. When did the Church articulate more precisely the doctrine on original sin? (CCC 406) The Church articulated the doctrine on original sin more precisely at:
1. the second regional Council of Orange (AD 529): controversy between St Augustine and Pelagius
2. Trent (AD 1545-63): in opposition to the Protestant Reformation.
428. What was Pelagius’ heresy regarding original sin? (CCC 406) Pelagius’ heresy regarding original sin was that he underrated its effects, holding that man could lead a morally good life without God’s grace.
Original sin – according to him – is only a bad example given by Adam.
429. What was the first Protestant reformers’ heresy regarding original sin? (CCC 406) The first Protestant reformers’ heresy regarding original sin was that they overrated its effect, holding that original sin had utterly perverted man and destroyed his freedom.
430. In which areas of human activity must special account be taken of original sin? (CCC 407) Special account must be taken of original sin in the areas of education, politics, social action and morals in order to avoid serious errors.
431. What does St John’s expression “the sin of the world” mean? (CCC 408) St John’s expression “the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29) means that the consequences of sin leave the world in a sinful condition.
432. Why is man’s life a battle? (CCC 409) Man’s life is a battle, because the whole world is in the power of the evil one (1 Jn 5).
433. How does Gen 3 show that God did not abandon the sinner to the power of death? (CCC 410) Gen 3 shows that God did not abandon the sinner to the power of death by revealing how God calls Adam after his Fall.
Gen 3:9: “The Lord God called to Adam and said to him: ‘Where are you?’”
434. When does God for the first time announce man’s restoration from the Fall? (CCC 410) God announces man’s restoration from the Fall for the first time in the Protoevangelium (Gen 3,15).
The word “Protoevangelium” means “first gospel”.
435. What does God say in the Protoevangelium? (CCC 410) In the Protoevangelium God says to the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head and you will strike his heel.”
436. How does the Protoevangelium in Gen 3,15 announce Christ? (CCC 411) The Protoevangelium in Gen 3,15 announces Christ by speaking about a battle between the serpent (the Devil) and the Woman (Our Lady) and the victory of a descendant of hers (Christ).
437. Why did God not prevent the sin of the first man? (CCC 412) God did not prevent the sin of the first man, because God permits evil in order to draw forth some greater good.