According to the doctrine of original sin, all humans are born bad and only God’s grace can bring salvation. James Boyce shows how these ideas have shaped the Western view of human nature, and how the belief that we are all innately sinful retains a firm grip on Western consciousness and culture – even in the writings of avowed atheists such as Marx and Freud.Born Bad traces a fascinating journey from Adam and Eve all the way to Adam Smith and Richard Dawkins in this sweeping story of a controversial idea and its remarkable influence.ContentsPart One: Original Sin in Christendom1. The Father of Original Sin2. The Contest for the Western Soul3. The Challenge of the Celts4. Scholars and Sinners5. The Forgiveness Industry6. A Peasant’s World7. All Shall Be Well8. The Meaning of Marrying a Nun9. John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion10. Spreading the Word11. The Puritan Foundation of Modern Life12. Reclaiming AugustinePart Two: Original Sin in the Modern World13. A Christian Enlightenment14. The Perfect Evangelical15. Celebrating Christian Choice16. Adam Smith and Market Salvation17. Imperfect Democracy18. Original Sin in an Age of Progress19. Freud and the Science of Self20. Staying Positive21. The Selfish Gene22. Where to for Salvation?23. Beyond Good or Bad

James Boyce is an honorary research associate of the School of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Tasmania, and a multiple award-winning author.