Original Sin

Original sin, also called ancestral sin,is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the fall of man, stemming from Adam's rebellion in Eden. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred to as a "sin nature", to something as drastic as total depravity or automatic guilt of all humans through collective guilt.
The concept of original sin was first alluded to in the 2nd century by Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons in his controversy (written in Greek) with certain dualist Gnostics.Its scriptural foundation is based on the New Testament teaching of Paul the Apostle (Romans 5:12-21 and 1 Corinthians 15:22), and Psalm 51:5. Tertullian, Cyprian, Ambrose and Ambrosiaster considered that mankind shares in Adam's sin, transmitted by human generation. Augustine's formulation of original sin was popular among Reformers, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin who equated original sin with concupiscence, affirming that it persisted even after baptism and completely destroyed freedom.[ Within Roman Catholicism, the Jansenist movement, which the Church then declared heretical, also maintained that original sin destroyed freedom of will.
The doctrine is not found in mainstream Judaism. Although there were some Jewish teachers in Talmudic times who believed that death was a punishment brought upon mankind on account of Adam's sin, that is not the dominant view in Judaism today.The concept is also not found in Islam. Depending on how it is defined, original sin is also rejected by some Christian theologies.

The Eastern Orthodox's version of original sin originates with the Devil, "for the devil sinneth from the beginning. (1 John iii. 8)".[53] They acknowledge that the introduction of ancestral sin into the human race affected the subsequent environment for mankind (see also traducianism). However, they never accepted Augustine of Hippo's notions of original sin and hereditary guilt.
Criticism[edit]

Historian Robin Lane Fox argues that the foundation of the doctrine of original sin, that was accepted by the Church, was based on a mis-translation of Paul the Apostle's Epistle to the Romans (Romans 5:12-21) by Augustine, in his "On the Grace of Christ, and on Original Sin". WIKIPEDIA
http://faithforum.wordpress.com/christianity/evolution-of-christiainity/original-sin/
http://faithforum.wordpress.com/christianity/bible-refutes-doctrines/