It’s that simple, folks. Original sin is generational trauma; destructive patterns of behaviour inherited at birth (conception, actually) which originated at the Fall. The whole theology boils down to three simple equations: The Fall = Neolithic decline Original sin = generational trauma New Testament = trauma resolution manual When understood as generational trauma, the entire […]
If the message of Jesus had to be summed in one phrase, one of my contenders would be Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven.” Arguably, Jesus’ primary message is to love one another (John 13:34). Or perhaps it’s his instruction about the importance of the first two commandments (Mark 12:29-31). What about […]
The Old Testament is an incredibly accurate emotional account of its time. In it, I see the eternal brilliance of God shining through very temporal commands. Paul understood their transient nature: “[The Law] was only supposed to last until the coming of that descendant who was given the promise.” (Galatians 3:19) Then came Jesus: “The kingdom […]
The first five books of the Bible—the Pentateuch—contain 613 commands [1]. Rules were necessary to bond tribes together against outsiders, to stop tribes weakening themselves through infighting, and to normalise the taboos on all things feminine that arose from environmental stress: Reward togetherness: “You will get more and more cattle, sheep, silver, gold, and other possessions.” […]
Famine appears in both Books of Kings: “For three years no rain fell in Samaria, and there was almost nothing to eat anywhere.” (1 Kings 18:1-2) “The Lord has warned that there will be no food here for seven years.” (2 Kings 8:1) Famines in East Africa in the 1970s revealed the impact of environmental […]
We know that the Old Testament took place in the context of the desert. That’s not precise enough. It actually took place in the context of desertification—the onset or increase of desert. The difference is crucial. The Middle East wasn’t always a desert. The Middle East wasn’t always a desert [1]. Prior to about 4000 BC […]
We’ve all been raised with at least some awareness of the 7 deadly sins. What exactly are these sins, so fundamental to the Christian concept of original sin? Mark 7:20 contains one of Jesus’ most damning verdicts on the human condition—one of many. I don’t think I have ever heard anyone quote it. Matthew 15:10-20 echoes […]
In Part II of ROCI21, Famine, I’ve written how the traumatization of the feminine that followed from desertification and famine gave rise to shame: “Shame stems from unconsciously judging our emotions, bodies and sexuality as socially unacceptable.” That which was socially unacceptable came to be seen as sinful. This in time led to generational sin. […]