A.Suarez's Treatment on a Pope's Formulation for Original Sin's Transmission!

[AntoineSuarez]

I would like to come again to a point that has remained undiscussed:

@AntoineSuarez

It is noteworthy that 4 of 11 chapters about the beginnings in Genesis are dedicated to the flood narrative (Genesis 6-9): Thereby this event acquires a terrific relevance, justifying the interpretation of the flood as a re-creation of humanity.

On the other hand, Jesus-Christ and the Apostle Peter refer to the flood as a universal judgement of sinners in the beginning times, to prophecy and warn us about the universal judgment in the end times. With the flood God wants to make clear this Basic Truth:

We sinners are allowed to remain on earth in order we can atone and reach salvation.

On this basis, I endorse the following view:

@AntoineSuarez

God foresaw the possibility that humankind dismiss this Basic Truth, and becomes corrupt and full of violence (Genesis 6: 5-6, 11-12). In such a case, a big corrective would be needed, to remind us, sinners of all times, the Basic Truth about our sojourn on earth; and thus God planned the flood (Genesis 6:6-8). However, to avoid killing millions of people, God made a “first-version of accountable humans” reduced to a little population (i.e. transformed only a segment of homo sapiens into the image of God). This primeval population of image bearers increased in number, possibly to several hundreds of thousands, who chose in fact the path of corruption and violence (Genesis 6: 5-12), and was deleted by the flood (Noah and his family excepted).

I think this view is supported by you @Christy as well:

@Christy

I think it is a prequel to Jesus’ salvation story. There is a warning that judgment is coming, but God will provide a way of salvation. All who take advantage of the salvation provided will be saved and will live faithful to God in a “new” creation/kingdom.

Also @mitchellmckain seems to argue along this line to some extent:

@mitchellmckain

That story is told in the Bible: the description “evil continuously” means life in this earliest human civilization would best be described as hell on earth. Thank God it was wiped out by a flood before it spread over the earth.

So, it seems we may find common ground in the following explanation:

At the end of the flood God definitely re-create the humankind by making all homo sapiens (up to possibly 14 millions) into a population of human beings called to live loving and respecting each other, and therefore accountable to God: “From each human being I [God] will demand an accounting for the life of another human being […] for in the image of God has God made mankind.” (Genesis 9:5-6). As a result, from this moment till today ALL peoples on earth share in the dignity of being in the image of God.

In the light of this explanation one can say that God made first a “beta-version” of humankind, and scheduled the “general release” for after the flood, and this way of doing is clearly motivated by God’s mercy.