I was raised Roman Catholic in the 1960s and often heard something like this: “We need to baptize the baby soon because if the baby dies before baptism, original sin will prevent its soul from entering heaven.” While truly bad theology, the Roman church has softened on this issue over the years. In this article I will talk more about the concept of original sin and how it is viewed today by mainline churches. I will then move into the role of patriarchy in the formation of the early Christian church, how its roots trace back to concepts found in the Hebrew Bible, and how, sadly, it remains alive and well today. Finally, I will explore how toxic masculinity in our society is an unfortunate outgrowth of patriarchy fueled by social media, the rhetoric of Christian nationalism, and our current political leaders.
In many Western Christian traditions that uphold the doctrine of original sin, baptism is required to rid a person of original sin because baptismal water is the vehicle through which God applies Jesus’ sacrifice to human souls. These traditions define original sin not as an egregious offense you commit, but rather as a condition you inherit as descendants of Adam and Eve. In contrast, Judaism does not believe in the doctrine of original sin. In Jewish theology, human beings are born innocent, pure, and spiritually untainted. There is no concept of a hereditary spiritual “stain” passed down from Adam and Eve that condemns humanity from birth. Eastern Christian Orthodoxy also discounts the idea of inherited sin. Today, most progressive Christian theologians change the term “original sin” to “original grace,” and to that I say, “Hallelujah.”
The role of patriarchy in the formation of the early Christian church was born from the tension between the movement of Jesus and the gradual adoption of traditional Greco-Roman social hierarchies. While the earliest Christian communities offered autonomy and leadership roles to women, the Christian church eventually absorbed the dominant patriarchal structures of the ancient Mediterranean world to ensure its survival, theological uniformity, and social legitimacy. Jesus and his immediate successors fractured rigid boundaries, creating a movement that disproportionately attracted women and marginalized groups. But as Christianity grew from a small, apocalyptic Jewish sect into a massive network of regional communities, it faced intense external pressure and internal fractures. Patriarchy therefore became the tool used to stabilize the movement of Jesus. By the 4th and 5th centuries, the transformation was absolute. Following the legalization of Christianity under Emperor Constantine, the church’s administrative framework directly copied the patriarchal imperial model. Patriarchy and male dominance were enshrined.
Within Christian theology, many progressive theologians argue that patriarchy in the church can be conceptualized as the original sin, the foundational sin of humanity. In this view the actual original sin in Genesis was not eating forbidden fruit but humanity’s lust for power and control. When Adam takes it upon himself to claim authority over Eve, the true fracture in creation occurs. All subsequent human horrors, including racism, colonialism, and religious patriarchy, stem from this original sin of institutionalized hierarchy. It can be said that patriarchy is the “curse” of the Fall. Scholars point out that this “rule” was a prediction of a broken world, not a divine mandate. Therefore, when the church enforces patriarchal structures, it is actively maintaining the “curse” of the Fall rather than living out the original, egalitarian paradise where man and woman existed in total mutuality.
Sociologists, theologians, and psychologists widely agree that patriarchal structures in society and the church directly contribute to toxic masculinity. A social system where men hold primary power in political leadership, moral authority, and social privilege creates rigid standards for what it means to be a “real man.” When these standards value dominance, control, and aggression while suppressing vulnerability, they manifest as toxic masculinity. The poster boy in our country for this type of thinking is the current Secretary of Defense. To uphold an image of unshakeable authority, patriarchy enforces strict rules like “boys don’t cry.” Labeling emotional vulnerability, compassion, and empathy as a “feminine weakness” forces men to repress grief, fear, sadness, and a host of other human responses. Interactions between men must never cross a line. Don’t hug, don’t share too much about yourself, and never show any type of affection. And God forbid if male best friends tell each other, “Hey, my friend, I love you—I have your back.” To all of this I say, “Nonsense.”
Social media has significantly contributed to toxic masculinity. Rather than creating these behaviors out of thin air, digital platforms act as hyper-efficient accelerators. They amplify outdated and harmful gender stereotypes, creating echo chambers that deeply impact the mental health of boys and young men. Social media platforms use engagement-maximizing algorithms. If a young man clicks on a standard self-improvement or fitness video, the algorithm may quickly push him toward more extreme, hyper-masculine, or misogynistic content to keep his attention.
In conclusion, let me say that religious organizations that keep women from serving as priests, pastors, Orthodox rabbis, and ministers must take a long, hard look at themselves because, in my opinion, they are on the wrong side of history. And to our Defense Secretary, I say, “Your rhetoric is toxic and demeaning to women, gays, trans individuals, minorities, and intelligent men, and it is offensive in so many ways. So instead of creating divisiveness and perpetuating a societal problem, try being part of a solution to help end such narrow-minded thinking.”