Klaipėdos universitetas

The article analyses expression of anxiety in human self-perception in the context of the original sin. This phenomenon is examined from the perspective of psychological and theological sciences considering how these two scientific branches could serve in the interpretation of the causes of human anxiety. In the context of scientific analysis a person experiences anxiety as a subconscious state which causes feelings of insecurity, helplessness and spiritual distress as a lack of the meaning of life. This anxiety has its own cause – the original sin. The conclusions of the research highlight four operational spheres of anxiety: failure to understand reality, loss of identity, guilt and shame. These issues threaten the person with non-existence, self-loss, deserved and undeserved punishment as well as fear to be estranged and isolated. Restoration of the authentic humanity is possible only by the power of the divine Incarnation.

Overcoming guilt and feeling spiritual peace is a fundamental human endeavour. The church calls for reconciliation with oneself, others and God and it calls to seek salvation – eternal happiness and peace. One of the most active preachers of the teaching of the Church was priest Jurgis Pabrėža (1771–1849), whose 250th birth anniversary has been commemorated in 2021. He was the man with an ambition to serve others wholeheartedly so that we “receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5: 9). Speaking of human guilt and liberation from the oppressive feeling of guilt in his sermons, Fr. J. Pabrėža provided the example of Cain’s story. J. Pabrėža mentions the biblical name of Cain in his sermon collection “Sermons on Various Matters” 22 times. Of 48 sermons in this collection Cain is mentioned in 5 of them. Examples of Cain’s experience of sin and guilt are provided when discussing the spiritual well-being of a person: who has no hope of being saved; who does not commit sin by killing another man; why is it bad to desire what belongs to another; what evil is there in a jealous sneer towards others; what is wrong with a blasphemous confession? In the biblical story of Cain and examples of this narrative in the sermons of Fr. J. Pabrėža we see that a person experiences a disturbing feeling of guilt as a subconscious state of insecurity, helplessness and spiritual suffering, and as a lack of meaning in life. This sense of guilt has its own cause – sin, i.e. acting in the world against the laws of nature.