Original sin

====Post-conciliar developments====
Soon after the [[Second Vatican Council]], biblical theologian [[Herbert Haag]] raised the question: "Is original sin in Scripture?".{{sfn|Haag|1966}} According to his exegesis, Genesis 2:25<ref>{{bibleverse|Genesis|2:25}}</ref> would indicate that Adam and Eve were created from the beginning naked of the [[divine grace]], an originary grace that, then, they would never have had and even less would have lost due to the subsequent events narrated. On the other hand, while supporting a continuity in the Bible about the absence of [[preternatural]] gifts ({{lang-la|dona praeternaturalia}}){{sfn|Haag|1966|pp=11, 49–50}} with regard to the [[Serpents in the Bible#Eden|ophitic event]], Haag never makes any reference to the discontinuity of the loss of access to the [[Tree of life (biblical)|tree of life]]. Genesis 2:17<ref>{{bibleverse|Genesis|2:17}}</ref> states that, if one ate the fruit of the [[tree of the knowledge of good and evil]], one would surely die, and the adverb indicates that, by avoiding this type of choice, one would have the possibility but not the certainty of accessing to the other tree. Therefore, in 1970 Latin American biblical scholar [[Carlos Mesters]] wondered if "Eden [is] golden age or goad to action", [[wikt:protology|protology]] or [[eschatology]], nostalgia for an idealized past or hope for something that has yet to happen as it is claimed by [[Book of Revelation|Revelation]] 2:7<ref>{{bibleverse|Revelation|2:7}}</ref> and Revelation 22:2.<ref>{{bibleverse|Revelation|22:2}}</ref>{{sfn|Mesters|1970|pp=}}

Some warn against taking Genesis 3 too literally. They take into account that "God had the church in mind before the foundation of the world" (as in [[Epistle to the Ephesians|Ephesians]] 1:4)<ref>{{bibleverse|Ephesians|1:4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part 1) (Sermon)|url=https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Audio.Details/ID/463/Holy-Spirit-Trinity-Part-1.htm|website=www.bibletools.org|access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> as also in [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Timothy]] 1:9:<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Timothy|1:9}}</ref> "...his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus ''before'' the world began."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Before the World Began|url=https://www.icr.org/article/before-world-began/|publisher=[[Institute for Creation Research]] |access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref> In his 1986 book ''{{'}}In the Beginning...{{'}}'', [[Pope Benedict XVI]] referred to the term "original sin" as "misleading and unprecise".{{sfn|Ratzinger|1986|p=72}} Benedict does not require a literal interpretation of Genesis, or of the origin of evil, but writes: "How was this possible, how did it happen? This remains obscure.{{nbsp}}[...] Evil remains mysterious. It has been presented in great images, as does chapter 3 of Genesis, with the vision of two trees, of the serpent, of sinful man."<ref>{{Cite web|title=General Audience of 3 December 2008: Saint Paul (15). The Apostle's teaching on the relation between Adam and Christ {{!}} BENEDICT XVI|url=http://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20081203.html |website=[[vatican.va]] |access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Pope ponders original sin, speaks about modern desire for change|url=http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope_ponders_original_sin_speaks_about_modern_desire_for_change|publisher=[[Catholic News Agency]] |access-date=2020-05-06}}</ref>