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T8 reasoning: Origin of the soul

Reasoning steps: Origin of the soul

Verdicts: T8 · Origin of the soul. Method: conventions, scoring and proximity eras. Scripture is the primary measure; fathers are weighed by era (Era I to c. 150 = 1.0, II = 0.8, III = 0.6, IV = 0.4).

T08.1: Origin of the soul

Step T08.1.1: Scripture

Eccl 12:7 (the spirit returns to God who gave it); Heb 12:9 (‘Father of spirits’); Zech 12:1. Ps 51:5 and Heb 7:10 (Levi in Abraham’s loins) are cited for traducianism. Scripture does not settle it.

Step T08.1.2: Patristic evidence

Tertullian (Era II): body and soul ‘are conceived, and formed, and perfectly simultaneously’, which is traducianism. Augustine (Era III), writing to Jerome, weighs creationism against the objection that God ‘rested on the seventh day … if He is still creating new souls’, and stays undecided. Sources: tertullian-t08-s1 · augustine-t08-s1.

Step T08.1.3: Weighing decision

The fathers are split and Augustine undecided. Verdict: open.

  • Confidence: Medium.

Step T08.1.4: Source-proximity weighing

  • Scripture (benchmark): Not settled by Scripture. (Scripture confidence: low)
  • Assessment: Not a Scripture question; patristic split.

Post-750 development by tradition

Catholic

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers 3/4; Scripture n/a/4): Creationism the common teaching (to verify any classic definition).

Orthodox

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers 3/4; Scripture n/a/4): Creationism common (to verify).

Oriental Orthodox

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers n/a/4; Scripture n/a/4): Not addressed.

Lutheran

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers 3/4; Scripture n/a/4): FC I tends to traducianism (to verify).

Anglican

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers n/a/4; Scripture n/a/4): Not addressed.

Presbyterian

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers n/a/4; Scripture n/a/4): WCF silent.

Reformed Baptist

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers n/a/4; Scripture n/a/4): 1689 silent.

General Baptist

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers n/a/4; Scripture n/a/4): Not addressed.

Anabaptist

See the note below.

  • T08.1 (fathers n/a/4; Scripture n/a/4): Not addressed.