Human Fall

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The Fall of Man by Lucas Cranach

The Fall of Man, also called simply The Fall, is a theological doctrine describing the change of humankind's state from sinlessness to depravity. In Christian tradition, the Fall took place when Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit and were explled from the Garden of Eden, as recorded in the biblical book of Genesis.

Although the "Fall" per se is not mentioned by name in the Old Testament, the expulsion from Eden is recorded in Genesis 3, and served as the foundation of the Christian teachings of Saint Paul in Romans 5:12–19 and 1 Corinthians 21–22, and, in particular, the Christian doctrine of original sin as taught especially by Saint Augustine.

In IslamJudaism, these events also consituted the first human sin, but not necessarily the Fall, in the traditional Christian sense. Other religions and mythologies often describe a first sin or fall from grace.

Biblical account

Genesis

According to Genesis 2, God created the first man, Adam, and place him in the Garden of Eden. He cause all kinds of trees to grow in the garden, including two special trees : the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God told Adam that he was free to eat of any tree in the garden, but not of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. "In the day you eat of it, you will day," God warned (Gen. 2:17). Seeing that Adam was alone, God then created Eve out of his rib (Gen. 2:22). Adam names the animals and calls Eve "woman." The are both "nake and unashamed."

For an unspecified period of time, Adam and Eve obey the one commandment they have been given to refrain from eating of the forbidden fruit. However, one day, a serpent comes to Eve and seduces her into partaking of it. "God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened," he tells her, "and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." The serpent shows Eve that the fruit is "good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom," so she eats it. She then gives some of the fruit to Adam, and he, too, eats. Adam and Eve immediately realize that they are naked, and become of ashamed of this, making clothes to cover themselves.

Soon, God walks through the Garden looking for Adam and Eve, but he cannot find them, because they are hiding from Him. God calls out to Adam: "Where are you?" (Gen. 3:9) Adam responds, "I heard your voice, and I was afraid, because I was naked." God then replies: "How did you know you were naked? Did you eat of the fruit of the tree I told you not to eat of?" Adam admits his disobedience but, and blames it on Eve, and Eve in turn blames it on the serpent.

As a result of these events, God curses all three of the characters in the drama: the serpent must crawl on his belly and eat dust; the woman's must suffer increased pain in childbearing and be ruled by her husband; and the man now labor for his food instead of eating freely of what grows in the Garden, for the land, too is cursed.

God recognizes that serpent's prophecy has come true: "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil." (Gen 3:21) To prevent Adam from also partaking of the Tree of Life and living foreover, God casts him out of the Garden, posting cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the the entrance.

Christian views

The doctrine of original sin, as articulated partcularly Saint Augustine, holds that the above-described events resulted in a fundamental change in human nature, so that all descendants of Adam and Eve are born in sin, and can only be redeemed by divine grace. Catholic and Orthodox teaching thus holds to this view, as to most Protestants. There are differences of opinion, however, as to how drastically the Fall affected human nature. Augstine taught that because of the Fall, human nature was basically depraved. Thus man is entirely reliant on God's grace for his salvation. The Eastern tradition generally took a somewhat more omptimistic view, while agreeing that without the Church and its sacraments, salvation could not be achieved. The Western tradition firmly rejected the even more optimistic view of Peliagianism, which taught that the Christian could attain spiritual perfection could be achieved through moral efforts.

The Protestant Reformation in its early stages reaffirmed the strict Augstinian viewpoint, criticizing the Catholic Church for teaching that "works" such as confession, fasting, pennance, and indulgences could produce salvation, rather than "faith alone."

Quran

The Quranic account of the fall is much more brief, and recounted in Surah 2:35-39. It reports that Adam was originally created as vicegerent of the Earth, the angels were commanded to bow to Him, and Adam was permitted to live in the garden with his wife and eat what he wished. But Satan caused Adam and his wife to slip from the garden, so that God removed them from the garden to live in enmity. However, even having removed them from the garden, God promised that if man should follow God's guidance, he would have no fear. However, those who rejected faith would suffer the fire.

Other traditions

Ancient Greek mythology held that Man was immortal during the Golden Age, until Prometheus (the serpent), brought them fire to help them live through cold. The gods punished Men allowing Pandora to release the evil (death, sorrow, plague) into the world due to her curiosity.

See also Tree of knowledge for other traditions.

Interpretations

Judaism and Islam

Judaism and Islam interpret the account of the fall as being simply historical, and draw no particular theological implications for human nature. Quite simply, because of Adam's actions, he and his wife were removed from the garden, forced to work, suffer pain in childbirth, and die. However, even after expelling them from the garden, God provided that men who honor God and follow God's laws would be rewarded, while those who acted wrongly would be punished. As such, both Islam and Judaism reject the Christian doctrine of original sin.

Christianity

Christianity interprets the fall in a number of ways.

• The doctrine of original sin, as articulated by Saint Paul and Saint Augustine, provides that the fall caused a fundamental change in human nature, so that all descendants of Adam are born in sin, and can only be redeemed by divine grace.
• Many Protestant movements, such as those begun by Martin Luther and John Calvin, hold that the fall stripped man of any semblence of free will in regard to spiritual matters. Mankind in its sinful state is thus unable to choose to follow God (or to reject rebellion against him), though choice in earthly matters (such as deciding what shirt will be worn, to make a phone call, what to say on that phone call) remains.
• Catholicism holds that man is born in original sin, but retains some degree of free will, so as to be morally responsible for his sin, and dependent on both divine grace and works for salvation.
• Pelagianism rejects the doctrine of original sin entirely, holding that the fall did not permanently taint human nature, and that man is capable of choosing good, even without divine aid.

Vedic (Hindu) tradition

See Tree of knowledge.

Felix Culpa (the fortunate fall)

One interpretation of the doctrine of the fall is that it is necessary in order human's might benefit from God's grace. It includes the notion that, had mankind not been given the capacity for evil, our choice through free will to either serve God or not would not have been as meaningful. For example:

"A fall it might seem, just as a vicious man sometimes seems degraded below the beasts, but in promise and potency, a rise it really was" (Sir O. Lodge, "Life and Matter", p. 79

There is, however, a second interpretation of 'felix culpa.' If Eve had not given the fruit to Adam to eat, none of us would be here to enjoy this wonderful world.

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