Original sin and infant baptism

episode 4 of "The End of the Early Church (and the start of the Middle Ages)"

In last week's episode, we considered Augustine's (excuse me, but) appalling view of women and sex. It was the foundation for his theology of human sinfulness: according to him, we are born in a state of damnation — because sexually procreated. (And, to round off the logic, the reason Jesus was sinless is because of his virgin birth.)

Augustine was the first to use the expression 'original sin' to describe the disobedience of Adam and Eve. We inherit our sinful state, as we inherit our physical characteristics, from our parents.

This was hardly the way the matter had been formulated before! And in the Eastern churches, it is still not accepted.

So, this week — we go through this subject, and how it connects with the practice of infant baptism and a compulsory church.