“Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.” – Psalm 51:5 (BSB)
“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” – Romans 5:12 (BSB)
“As for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world… gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.” – Ephesians 2:1–3 (BSB)
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” – 1 Corinthians 15:22 (BSB)
This doctrine is affirmed in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, which declare: “Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam… but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man.” (Article IX) It means that from birth we are estranged from God and naturally inclined to evil. Fr. Thomas James (Anglican Orthodox Church, St. Luke’s Mission, NC) writes, “The corruption is not learned; it is inborn. The smallest child needs a Savior, not just a teacher.” (Doctrine for Discipleship, 2021)
Original sin explains why we cannot save ourselves. Our wills are bent away from God, our affections are disordered, and our hearts love darkness rather than light. Bishop Stephen Hale (GAFCON, Australia) notes, “The doctrine of original sin is the necessary backdrop to the gospel. Without it, we do not understand the depth of our need or the greatness of Christ’s mercy.” (GAFCON Teaching Series on Romans, 2020)
Yet, original sin is not the final word. Through Christ—the second Adam—God reverses the curse. Canon Phil Ashey (ACNA, American Anglican Council) writes, “Just as we fell in Adam, so we rise in Christ. The gospel is not self-improvement but new creation. Grace doesn’t repair the old heart—it gives a new one.” (Gospel and Law in Anglican Catechesis, 2019)
Fr. Isaac Rehberg (ACNA, All Saints San Antonio, TX) adds, “To understand original sin is to understand the cross. Jesus didn’t die merely for our bad choices—He died to raise us from spiritual death.” (Theology for Catechumens, 2020)
“Our nature was corrupted in Adam, but Christ has restored it by His incarnation and passion.” – Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John, c. 430 AD
“Death reigned from Adam to Moses—even over those who did not sin as Adam did. The fault lies deeper than actions—it is in the soul.” – Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, c. 180 AD
“The wound came through the first man; the healing comes through the Second. What we lost in Eden, we receive in Christ.” – Ambrose of Milan, On the Fall of Adam, c. 380 AD
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
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