But, of course there is another way of looking at it. Students of the Jesuit scientist/mystic Pierre Teilhard de Chardin would contend that 'Original Sin' is the 'biblical-literature archetype' for a basic principle of growth in what we recognize now as 'an evolving cosmos'. The physics principle of 'entropy' states that in every 'energy transaction' a portion of energy is 'lost' in the form of escaping heat. The whole onward-and-upward course of the evolving universe proceeds in the manner of 'two steps forward, and a step back'.
If this were not sufficient, even the 'law of gravity' is committed to a 'line of least resistance' (water flows downhill), and this is 'a natural law', affecting the stream of culture also. This does not 'invalidate' what we learn from Genesis---it only states in contemporary scientific terms what was indicated metaphorically by such an intuitive genius as Moses must have been. In the concluding sentence of his *Phenomenon of Man* Pere Teilhard stated: "In one manner or the other it still remains true that, even in the view of the mere biologist, the human epic resembles nothing so much as a way of the Cross". On Thu, Dec 13, 2018 at 1:28 AM Devak Argham <[email protected]> wrote: > Original Sin for the Catholic Church is the lack of Grace with which > we are born with. It is a result of our first parents, Adam and Eve. > It is not a sin we ourselves commit. Grace is any gift from God. > Original Sin is taken away by receiving the Sacrament of Baptism. > Through Baptism, Jesus cleanses us of all sin. We are born as a child > of God and become a member of the Church. >
