Born bad

About this book

According to the doctrine of original sin, humans are born bad and only God's grace can bring salvation. In this book, historian James Boyce shows how these ideas have shaped the Western view of human nature right up to the present. The legacy of original sin takes many forms, including the distinctive discontent of Western people -- the feelings of guilt and inadequacy associated not with doing wrong, but with being wrong. As well as a history of Christianity, Boyce offers insights into the making of the West. Born Bad traces a journey from Adam and Eve all the way to Adam Smith and Richard Dawkins.