Hereditary guilt is the idea that future generations bear responsibility for the actions of their ancestors. Examples include slavery and Adam and Eve’s original sin. Some believe in atonement, while others see it as an immutable part of history. Some Christians believe in Jesus’ sacrifice to heal the rift between God and man, while others believe in a new covenant. Inherited guilt should be able to die a natural death over generations.
There is an ancient expression, found in several Old Testament books, which implies that the sinful deeds of the fathers (ancestors) will continue to haunt their children (descendants). In essence, this is the underlying precept of hereditary guilt, a condition in which future generations continue to bear some feeling of responsibility for the actions of their predecessors. The practice of slavery and its demeaning effects on the offspring of slaves, for example, is often cited as a case of hereditary guilt for whites.
In a religious context, Adam and Eve’s forbidden consumption of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge is believed to have caused an almost irreparable rift between God and mankind, a curse known as “original sin.” Due to the actions taken by mankind’s original ancestors, future generations must bear hereditary guilt for betraying God’s commands. According to some Judeo-Christian philosophies, mankind must live in a sinful world as penance for Original Sin committed by Adam and Eve.
In the case of slavery or the unfair treatment of Native Americans, many whites have expressed a need to atone for the actions of their ancestors, while others see these events as an unfortunate but immutable part of a flawed history. While some descendants of slaves or Native Americans may demand an official apology or even financial reparations for past sins, others believe it would be unfair to force a generation to atone for the sins of their ancestors by exploiting inherited guilt.
There are also different approaches to the concept of guilt inherited from the original Fall of Man. Some Christians believe that the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God manifested in human form, completely healed the rift between God and man and we are no longer burdened with inherited guilt. Others suggest that humanity is still burdened with a sinful nature and inherited guilt, but the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ has created a new covenant between God and those who actively seek His forgiveness.
Some believe inherited guilt should be able to die a natural death over the generations. Modern Germans living with the inherited guilt of Hitler’s genocidal regime or Russians who lost ancestors in Stalin’s purges should be given the opportunity to heal from the sins of their fathers rather than continue to live in the shadow of inherited guilt.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
