Sin as Deprivation

A very powerful and influential interpretation of the doctrine of sin in our day says that sin is not due to an evil will but to deprivation. Thus, we are told that children are delinquent because they’ve been deprived of love and of a good environment. We are told moreover that the criminal is a product of deprivation. Every social problem that we face has a like answer. It’s not an evil heart, not a depraved heart but simply that this or that person has been deprived of certain things.