Biblical and patristic assessment of the teaching of “inheritance” of sin

The article discusses the aspects of the doctrine of “inheritance” of sin, which are important in connection with the discussion about the guilt of descendants for the misdeeds of their ancestors. The author chronologically analyzes biblical and patristic material, highlighting the Augustinian line of thinking (guilt of descendants for the misdeeds of their ancestors) and the Orthodox (personal responsibility). The analysis of legal norms allows us to identify the criteria of imputation, the principles of responsibility and to differentiate terms. He concludes about the impossibility of translation of legal responsibility according to the teaching of the Church, which teaches only about the inheritance of nature damaged by sin and about free will as a necessary stipulation for imputation.