Skip to content
Wellsprings
christian-anthropology-ethicsfeatured in 30 works

The Fall

One act of disobedience in the garden, and sin and death entered the human story

The Fall names the primal disobedience of Adam and Eve, narrated in Genesis 3, through which sin and death entered the human condition. Paul reflects on it in Romans 5, and Fathers such as Irenaeus and Augustine drew out its meaning for human nature and the need for redemption. The doctrine is held across the Christian traditions as a foundation for understanding sin, mortality, and grace.

How it traveled

  1. Romans
    Corinth · 67
    explains
  2. Other Fragments from the Lost Writings of Justin
    Rome · 165
    explains
  3. Against Heresies: Book V
    Lyons · 202
    explains
  4. Against Heresies: Book III
    Lyons · 202
    explains
  5. On the Resurrection of the Flesh.
    — · 220
    explains
  6. A Treatise on the Soul.
    — · 220
    explains
  7. The Instructions of Commodianus.
    — · 220
    explains
  8. On Fasting.
    — · 220
    explains
  9. Appendix
    — · 220
    explains
  10. Three Fragments from the Homily on the Cross and Passion of Christ.
    — · 311
    applies
  11. Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations
    Mosul · 345
    explains
  12. Ephraim Syrus: The Nisibene Hymns
    Edessa · 373
    explains
  13. The Incarnation of the Word
    Alexandria · 373
    explains
  14. Against the Heathen. (Contra Gentes.)
    Alexandria · 373
    explains
  15. Ephraim Syrus: Fifteen Hymns For the Feast of the Epiphany
    Edessa · 373
    explains
  16. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril
    Jerusalem · 386
    explains
  17. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen
    Nazianzus · 390
    explains
  18. On the Making of Man
    Nyssa · 395
    explains
  19. The Great Catechism
    Nyssa · 395
    explains
  20. On the Soul and the Resurrection
    Nyssa · 395
    explains
  21. On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus
    Milan · 397
    explains
  22. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  23. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  24. Homilies on First Corinthians
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  25. The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  26. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  27. The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and Ephesians
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  28. Three Homilies Concerning the Power of Demons
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  29. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 407
    explains
  30. The Letters of St. Jerome
    Bethlehem · 420
    explains

Key passages(20)

Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel — CHAPTER 1. - THROUGH THE FALL AND REVOLT OF ADAM, THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE MADE ACCURSED AND DEGENERATE. OF ORIGINAL SIN. — part 3↗explains

Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
On Marriage and Concupiscence — Book II — Adam’s Sin is Derived from Him to Every One Who is Born Even of Regenerate Parents; The Example of the Olive Tree and the Wild Olive.↗applies

On Marriage and Concupiscence · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
The great christian doctrine of original sin defended — PART II. Proofs of the Doctrine from particular parts of Scripture. — CHAPTER IV. Containing observations on Rom. v. 12. &c. — part 17↗explains

The great christian doctrine of original sin defended · Jonathan Edwards

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A History of the Work of Redemption — PERIOD I. From the Fall to the Incarnation. — PART I. From the Fall to the Flood. — part 2↗explains

A History of the Work of Redemption · Jonathan Edwards

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A History of the Work of Redemption — PERIOD I. From the Fall to the Incarnation. — PART I. From the Fall to the Flood. — part 3↗explains

A History of the Work of Redemption · Jonathan Edwards

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A Treatise on Nature and Grace — Nature Was Created Sound and Whole; It Was Afterwards Corrupted by Sin.↗explains

A Treatise on Nature and Grace · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin — On Original Sin. — Lust and Travail Come from Sin. Whence Our Members Became a Cause of Shame.↗explains

A Treatise on the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants — Book I — If Adam Had Not Sinned, He Would Never Have Died.↗explains

A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants — Book I — The One Sin Common to All Men.↗explains

A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants — Book I — Whom Sinners Imitate.↗explains

A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants — Book II — Adam and Eve; Obedience Most Strongly Enjoined by God on Man.↗explains

A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants — Book II — Man’s State Before the Fall.↗explains

A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants — Book II — To Recover the Righteousness Which Had Been Lost by Sin, Man Has to Struggle, with Abundant Labour and Sorrow.↗explains

A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants · Augustine of Hippo

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
Against Heresies: Book V, Chapter XXIII↗explains

Against Heresies: Book V · Irenaeus of Lyons

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations — Of Death and the Latter Times. — part 1↗explains

Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations · Aphrahat

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
Appendix, Genesis.↗explains

Appendix · Tertullian: Part Fourth

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel — ARGUMENT.↗explains

Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel — CHAPTER 1. - THROUGH THE FALL AND REVOLT OF ADAM, THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE MADE ACCURSED AND DEGENERATE. OF ORIGINAL SIN. — part 1↗explains

Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel — CHAPTER 1. - THROUGH THE FALL AND REVOLT OF ADAM, THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE MADE ACCURSED AND DEGENERATE. OF ORIGINAL SIN. — part 4↗explains

Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin

Read in Sefaria →
Very high
Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel — CHAPTER 1. - THROUGH THE FALL AND REVOLT OF ADAM, THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE MADE ACCURSED AND DEGENERATE. OF ORIGINAL SIN. — part 5↗explains

Book Second. of the Knowledge of God the Redeemer, in Christ, as First Manifested to the Fathers, Under the Law, and Thereafter to Us Under the Gospel · John Calvin

Read in Sefaria →
Very high