DISPUTED DOCTRINES -- Chapter Seventeen

QUESTION OF THE ORIGIN OF SOULS

The question of the origin of souls since Adam is not of great importance in itself, but becomes important in its bearing on the doctrine of Original Sin and its propagation. Three theories have been advanced on this subject.

The first of these is the theory of Pre-existence, according to which all souls, like the angels, were created at once; and, on account of sin committed in this pre-existent state, were condemned to enter into material bodies. In order to save the soul of Christ from contamination by sin, this theory holds that one pure soul attached itself to the Logos and at His incarnation became the human soul of Christ. This theory, an adaptation of old pagan speculations, was put forth by Origen and a few others, but never found favor in the Christian Church. It may accordingly be dismissed from our consideration.

The next theory is the theory of Creationism. This theory maintains that only the bodies of children are propagated by their parents, and that for each body thus propagated God creates a new soul. This is the prevailing theory in the Roman Catholic Church, and, among Protestants, is favored by the Reformed. It is also held here and there by some Lutherans.

The third theory is that of Traducianism. Historically it dates from Tertullian. According to this theory, both the soul and the body of each child are propagated by its parents. Let us examine these two last theories in the light of Scripture.

The theory of Creationism has several things against it.

First of all, it locates the seat of sin in the body and carries with it the old heathenish conception of matter as being essentially evil. It views the material part of man with a certain measure of contempt, and has no idea of the dignity of the human body or of its ultimate destiny to be conformed to the likeness of the body of Christ's glory. It tends also to make the soul the organ of the body rather than the reverse.

In the second place, this theory virtually makes God the author of sin. For, if God creates a pure human soul and places it in a corrupt body in which it cannot do anything but sin, He is responsible for such a situation and cannot be exempted from blame. This is the most potent objection to this theory.

Finally, this theory destroys the whole idea of parenthood. Father and mother, son and daughter are personal terms. No father is the parent of a mere nature or of a material thing, but of a person. And in this case, since personality resides in the soul rather than in the body, he is no father at all, but only the producer of a material thing into which a soul is extraneously insinuated. Besides, children quite as frequently exhibit the mental characteristics of their parents as they do physical resemblance to them. For these reasons this theory is unsatisfactory.

The theory of Traducianism, on the other hand, lies under none of the objections that may be raised against the theory of Creationism. It places the seat of sin in the soul, the immaterial part of man, where it properly belongs. It relieves God from the charge of being the author of sin or responsible for its continuance. It makes parents real parents as being parents of the whole child. It affords a clearer foundation for the propagation of original sin on the acknowledged principle that like begets like. It is also Scriptural. "Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his image." (Gen. 5:4). "Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisdek met him." This theory does not deny the doctrine which we confess in the Explanation of the First Article of the Apostles' Creed, viz., "that God has created me and all that exists"; for, though created mediately, through the instrumentality of our parents, we are still God's creation, and none the less His creatures. Finally, it does not militate against the account of the cessation of God's creative activity after the six creative days, inasmuch as mediate creation goes on through second causes in Providence, and is in evidence not only in man, but also in all plant and animal life. Traducianism should be accepted as in conformity with Scripture.

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