Ancestral sin

Ancestral sin, generational sin, or ancestral fault (Koinē Greek: προπατορικὴ ἁμαρτία; προπατορικὸν ἁμάρτημα; προγονικὴ ἁμαρτία), is the doctrine that individuals inherit the judgement for the sin of their ancestors.[1][2] It exists primarily as a concept in Mediterranean religions (e.g. in Christian hamartiology); generational sin is referenced in the Bible in Exodus 20:5.[3][4]

The classical scholar Martin West draws a distinction between an ancestral curse and an inherited guilt, punishment, adversity or genetic corruption.[5]

  1. ^ Smith, Chuck (17 February 2014). "Generational Sin?". Calvary Chapel. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  2. ^ John Piper (3 November 2015). "Can My Life Be Plagued by Generational Sins, Hexes, or Curses?". Desiring God. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Johnson2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Ghent, Rick; Childerston, Jim (1994). Purity & Passion. Moody Press. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-8024-7130-7.
  5. ^ West 1999, p. 33f: "Critics have often spoken of an inherited curse when what they mean is inherited guilt, or some kind of genetic corruption, or persistent but unexplained adversity."