A Net friend wrote:

Seems the dogma of original sin (like most of our theology) has a history. Very briefly and inadequately sumarised: The “original sin” as all are sinners from birth (or even from conception) and guilty, and need saving, is quite recent. And probably more to do with a defensive reaction of the church to a lessening of power and influence.

Older (and probably more authentic) is the concept that all people are capable of sin, and indeed all have sinned. This is certainly my own experience (from my more honest moments) and seems a common human experience.

A hellenistic influence on the Hebrew faith led to a “two spirits doctrine”, God has created men (humanity) to rule the earth, and given them two spirits to choose to follow, the spirits of truth and falshood. John picks up some of this language in the angel of light language.

That is an improvement over the idea that the gods have simply confined humanity to hell as a child throws their toys into the toy box when they are finished playing. Even this example says something about sin – my children never put toys away.

It seems that our doctrines of sin are really an attempt to understand how evil continues in a world ruled by a good God. And if God is not good I don’t want to worship or follow, but it is also my experience that evil is real in the world and my life.

So the questions are; What is the question for which Jesus teaching on sin is the answer? What did God in Jesus teach us (revelation) about the reality of evil? What did the biblical authors understand of the reality of evil and Jesus teaching? How does that inform my experience of the reality of evil? What can I do about it?

So my faith, belief and doctrine needs to be informed by a range of christian interpretation, not just the latest fad, (the fad may be 400 years old) but the Church Universal, as did God’s people before the church, has a wide range of interpretations of sin.