Human Nature: Inherently Good or Totally Depraved?
The debate is a continuation of arguments from the 16th century, in which Luther and Calvin insisted on the “total depravity” of human nature. The Catholic Church responded at the Council of Trent, affirming our absolute inability to save ourselves and our reliance on Jesus as Savior. As Bishop Baron clarifies, “The difference is that Trent does not hold to a total depravity anthropology, but rather teaches that our basic spiritual faculties remain intact, giving grace, in fact, something to build on.” The concept of fundamental goodness does not deny our fallen nature, nor does it negate our need for salvation. Instead, this nuanced understanding of humanity’s state acknowledges both our fallenness and the possibility of redemption, underscoring the transformative power of God’s grace.
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