Forsaking the Fall Original Sin and the Possibility of a Nonlapsarian Christianity

Forsaking the Fall argues along exegetical, theological, and philosophical lines that the doctrines of the Fall and Original Sin need not be understood as integral components of orthodox Christianity. By engaging biblical studies, systematic theology, and analytic philosophy, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of the most important issues at play in the Original Sin debate, as well as offers a set of tools for helping readers to think critically about the essence of the Christian faith and its relation to Original Sin. Crucially, it lays the theoretical groundwork for an orthodox nonlapsarianism and advances a novel theory vis-à-vis the Fall and Original Sin in Christian theology. This innovative and provocative book will be of interest to scholars of theology and philosophy, specifically analytic theologians and philosophers of religion.

Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction PART IThe Fall and Original Sin in Scripture and Tradition 1 Original Sin: A Historical and Theological Retrieval 2 Genesis 2–3 and the ‘Fall of Man’ 3 Romans 5:12–21: Adam or Christ? PART IIOrthodoxy without Original Sin? 4 Sin: The Biblical Understanding 5 Concerning a Nonlapsarian Theodicy: Whence Sin? 6 Salvation: Means and End 7 On Orthodoxy 8 Conclusion References Index

Daniel H. Spencer received his PhD from the School of Divinity at the University of St Andrews, UK. He is a minister in the Church of Scotland, having served most recently at Menzieshill Parish Church, Dundee.