Is it Possible that Sin is Only One Thing?
Sin or Error for Faith & Reason
Faith and reason go together. Specifically, they should be considered one—inseparable. However, historically, they haven’t been linked because religion has dwelled primarily upon sin and truth. Yet, neither of these ideas is precisely the point of reason. Therefore, this sin-truth focus is a theological error.
An expanded, reason-infused view of faith
Fortunately, some in the faith community inherently value the connection: See ENCYCLICAL LETTER, FIDES ET RATIO, OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF JOHN PAUL II, TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH AND REASON. The Encyclical is exhaustive on the subject. In fact, many historical Church thought leaders made a philosophical appearance in the work. Nevertheless, I thought the Encyclical missed an opportunity. Despite its historical thoroughness, the document did not precisely draw a line from one to the other–faith to reason. There is a reason for this apparent oversight. An explicit definition of reason has never been formally established. Yet, we have always needed one. And because God hates a vacuum, Pope John Paul weighed in with his historical treatise.
Nevertheless, I needed a specific definition because of my organization’s (Learningframework) focus (critical thinking and problem-solving). It is presented in the image below. I have since discovered that this definition is the vanishing point for all human intellectualism. This result, of course, makes perfect sense because reason is the foundational tool for how we think. See the “vanishing-point” link.
This “the pursuit of absolute truth” process, represented in the image below, has specific requirements for finding the truth. I broadly applied these truth requirements to Church doctrine (impacting Catholic and Reformed Churches). Further clarifying sin and error to sustain rationality illustrates how faith and reason fit perfectly together (as Biblically judged). I understand the Church might disagree with these definitions on a first reading, but I also advocate for reason. Traditionally, the Catholic and Reformed Churches don’t.
- God (and, derivatively, Jesus) are inerrant. Critically, only God can claim absolute truth (this is necessary to avoid idolatry and harm to one’s capacity to reason);
- The Church can err, but it does not sin so long as the religion possesses a pseudo-rational process for developing truth (e.g., the Magisterium, etc.). Regarding Church doctrine, the Church could be the source of immutable* truth–potentially practicing something akin to Stare Decisis in law (Latin – “stand by things decided”);
- The Bible is immutable* truth;
- Individuals in Grace*** err. Grace begins with SELF-control (AKA free will). This is true because, in time, SELF-awareness emerges, and the individual can assume responsibility for developing the SELF (their subconsciously held thoughts and behaviors). This is Grace. God gives individuals “grace” to err in cognitive freedom because their thinking freedom is now humbly pursued before God/absolute truth. Specifically, the individual properly pursues the sufficient condition (reason). This requires that the individual defers to absolute (God’s) truth through an incorruptible process of disproof (See the pursuit of truth image below);
- Individuals outside of Grace*** sin. These individuals are “fallen.”
The Catholic Church’s prior authoritarian approach worked (though non-ideally**) when Western Civilization was called the Holy Roman Empire. However, this authoritarianism led to corruption, which caused the Reformation and ended the Empire. Note: Error from the will of God produces suffering. The Thirty Years War was the prior point’s exclamation point.
I know that the above view puts me at odds with the Church. But maybe it shouldn’t.
Could it be that sin is simply an absence of SELF-control?
By my reasoning, there are only two spiritual states for the individual: (1) Grace and (2) Not Grace. While the first does not produce sin, the latter does. The distinguishing difference is SELF-control. Therefore, it appears that SELF-control, or precisely the absence of it, is the root cause of sin. For example, the seven deadly sins are all rooted in a lack of SELF-control.
According to Roman Catholic theology, the seven deadly sins are the seven behaviors or feelings that inspire further sin. They are typically ordered as: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.
Thus, a lack of SELF-control may be “THE” fundamental sin. This is good news because SELF-control is an assessable and solvable problem–i.e., it is developmental. The judgemental aspect of sin becomes less crucial, though still valuable. There is a positive aspect to SELF-control as well. SELF-control enables individual control of one’s mind. This power enables autodidactism, new understandings, and new value creation (i.e., unmerited favor or Grace). This productively motivates the development SELF-control. Sin, by contrast, merely draws punishment.
SIN (definition) — Oxford Language Dictionary
: an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law — “a sin in the eyes of God.”
Again, SELF-control is free will. SELF-control moves you away from the SELF and decision-making in habit to the search for understanding. In this new state, you must, by definition (that is, in order to think new thoughts), subordinate to absolute (God’s) truth. In this latter state, you are not decision-making. You are discovery-learning. God (absolute truth) is your guide. Disciplined SELF-control (requiring SELF-awareness–being more than just “SELF-control”) is Grace. This distinction is true because fear of sin can produce simple SELF-control (though this is also why sin is important). However, a person enjoying Grace has embraced the premise of absolute truth, and because humans do not know everything, they err. God grants grace for errors made by individuals subordinate to God’s truth because they are humble and listen.
* Immutable truth is unchangeable but falsifiable. See the pursuit of truth process. An immutable truth is an objective truth that retains its objectively derived legitimacy until falsified. This is the point of Stare Decisis (Latin – “to stand by things decided”).
** Authoritarianism NEVER works because it is, ipso facto, irrational.
*** Grace is disciplined SELF-control in the pursuit of absolute truth. The truth produces new value or less suffering. The faithful call Grace God’s “unmerited favor,”
