Anthropology 6 - Traducianism vs. Creationism in Light of the Tripartite Model

There are some important questions that are answered in light of the difference between the soul and spirit, that are worth discussing.  The first is the controversy over traducianism vs. creationism.

Traducianism – The soul (immaterial aspect) of a human is transmitted through natural generation along with the body.

God breathed the breath of life into Adam, causing him to become a living soul. Nowhere else is it recorded that God performed this act again. Also, when God was done making man, God's creation is finished, thus no new souls are created directly, but are instead transmitted by natural generation just as the body is.

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” -Genesis 2:1-3

Also, human “begetting” includes the image and likeness of the parents. Since all men have a body and soul, this must mean the immaterial aspect of human beings, as well as the material.

When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” -Genesis 5:3

God created all things "very good" (that is perfect), yet people are sinful and in a fallen/corrupt/ totally depraved state from conception. Since people are born with corrupt souls, and God would not create them that way, they are not created.

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” -Psalm 51:5

Lastly, the idea that each soul is created destroys the idea of the miraculous and supernatural, since it incorporates God's supernatural, miraculous creation of the soul (out of nothing) into the natural process of reproduction. Remember that a miracle is something that happens, outside and therefore, contrary to the natural law. Creation out of nothing is a miracle. The idea that God performs a miracle routinely, every time a natural process occurs, is inherently contradictory, since it makes that which is against natural law a part of nature and that which is special, routine. Luther agrees with this logic.

“When a child is born today, the soul is created together with the body, contrary to Plato. Although all others disagree, it’s my opinion that the soul isn’t added (to the body) from the outside but is created out of the matter of the semen. This is my reason: If the soul came from somewhere else, it would be made bad by contact with the body, but the soul isn’t bad by chance but by nature. Consequently the soul must be born out of corrupt matter and seed and must be created by God out of the matter of a man and a woman.” -LW 54:401

This does lead to the question, though of how Jesus could be perfect, since he was born with a human soul.  The Roman Catholics try to get around this by the idea of the immaculate assumption (the idea that Mary was sinless (free from original sin) from her conception). However, there is no Biblical justification for this, so there must be another answer.

Creationism – God creates the soul (immaterial aspect) of humans at conception

This idea stems from the fact that it does not make sense that something born of the flesh could be spiritual, or understand anything of the divine. This gets at disagreeing with the immaculate assumption, along with how conversion could ever come about. Lastly, the following Bible verses indicate that an immaterial part of us was given to us by God.

“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it.” -Isaiah 42:5

“The oracle of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him.” -Zechariah 12:1

“[A]nd the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” -Ecclesiastes 12:7

However, in light of the distinction between the spirit and the soul, we see that this whole disagreement stems from a misunderstanding of human nature. We must rightly understand that we are born with a soul passed down from our parents as Luther said, which makes sense from all of the reasons the Traducianists give. However, we are spiritually dead (that is, we have a dead spirit) from conception, and God gives us a spirit by bringing it back to life through the Holy Spirit. Every proof text of the Creationists is actually referring to the spirit, not the soul. Therefore, conception, birth, and the forming of souls are not miracles, but a part of nature. God bringing people to faith (that is conversion or regeneration) is a miracle, because he brings our spirit to life. So he gives us our spirit, but it is not creation, because he does not create our spirits out of nothing, rather he regenerates them (brings us back to life). Lastly, Jesus’ spirit was the Holy Spirit, which he was conceived with, allowing him to live the perfect life, without Mary having to be free from Original Sin.