THE ELEVATION AND FALL OF MAN

Theology 101

Meaning of Elevation and Fall: supernatural order

PRINCIPLE
Nature

ACTION
Know and Love

END
Human Perfection Divine Life in Man

Grace Faith and participati Charity on in divine life

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THE STATE OF ORIGINAL JUSTICE

Sanctifying

Grace
Gifts

Participation in divine life

Preternatural
and man.

Integrity harmony of reason and will, God Infused knowledge

able not to die Impassibility able not to suffer

Immortality
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FALL
Sin a rejection of God and the refusal to accept his love. Shown in disregard for his commandments - Aversio a Deo (turning away from God) - Conversio ad creaturas (turning to creatures)

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Fall of the Angels

free

and irrevocable choice rejected God and his Kingdom They try to associate human beings with their revolt against God

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First human sin

When tempted by the devil, the first man and woman allowed trust in their Creator to die in their hearts. Disobeyed: wished to become like God but without God and not in accordance with God (Genesis 3:5). lost for themselves and for all their descendants the original holiness.

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Original Sin: our state

Adam = man, mankind, earth, ground The whole human race is in Adam "as one body of one man as the whole tree is in the seed. Original sin, in which all human beings are born, is the state of deprivation of original holiness and justice. It is a sin contracted by us not committed; it is a state of birth and not a personal act. Transmitted by propagation (human reproduction, heredity)

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STATE OF ORIGINAL SIN Fallen Nature / Wounded Nature

Loss

of Sanctifying Grace Loss of Preternatural Gifts

Integrity

Concupiscence Infused knowledge Ignorance Immortality Death Impassibility Suffering

Baptism erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, but the consequences for nature persist in man spiritual battle: sacraments, prayer, ascetical struggle.

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Different views of original sin and human nature

Pelagius

OS Adam gave bad example. Nature- Man is inherently good. Luther OS Adam radically corrupted our nature and destroyed his freedom. Nature - Man is inherently bad.
"Pecca fortiter, sed crede fortius"
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3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, And I will put enmity between thee (serpent) and the woman,

THE PROTO-EVANGELIUM (first good news)

and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Serpent Your Seed

The Woman

Eve/Mary

Her Seed Christ, (he, she, it) Mary, Church Bruise your head Victory over evil

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Bruise his heel

Protoevangelium

Compendium: Evil would be conquered and that man would be lifted up from his fall. first proclamation of the Messiah and Redeemer The fall would be called a happy fault because it gained for us so great a Redeemer (Liturgy of the Easter Vigil). From Adam, mere fallen man, as head of mankind, to Jesus, a New Adam, who is God himself, as new head of mankind. 4/14/2012

The End