I’m mystified by the notion that the only two ways of thinking about sin available to us are “total depravity” (all the “wretched worm” nonsense), or “sin is an oppressive, outdated word,” which is equally silly.
I absolutely buy into "original blessing” (Genesis 1) over original sin (the blessing is far more “original” than the curse). The tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Genesis 3 is the tree of judgment, & represents playing God rather than accepting our creaturely limits, living in trust & dependence. Sin is mostly about living out of alignment with Love.
I adore Francis Spufford’s brilliant definition of sin in Unapologetic: “HPtFtU (human propensity to f*** things up”). Anybody who has ever dealt with a self-destructive addiction has come to the depths of this. It doesn’t change the fact that we are created (good) in the image of God. Sin, our propensity to place self over against others/community/God, distorts us, but the image of God in us is not lost. We are not shattered, but bent, & in need of grace to set us right.
Barbara Brown Taylor nails this in Speaking of Sin, when she calls sin a “helpful, hopeful word” that enables us to “move from guilt to grace.” She calls the language of sin “the lost language of salvation.” (note that sin has nothing to do with SHAME, which is NEVER a helpful, hopeful word).
Knowing this, I am practically giddy to pray the prayer of confession in the mornings from the book of common prayer: “Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.” I’m giddy because I know how merciful God is, that I am forgiven, & in no need to beg for it. But I get out of alignment with Love easily & often. Repentance is realignment, not moralism—it’s more about motive/intention. It feels so good to have my heart set right again.
The confession & absolution keeps me from having to go around feeling guilty & pretending as if I’m guiltless, both. I pray the confession not to wallow in guilt, but because it returns me to grace for myself & others. I pray the confession, because that’s where the party is. Selah.
footnote: I find communities on the wrong side of unjust systems are not squeamish to think about sin: not so much about individual wrongs, but systemic injustice. We are not "born rotten," but we are in fact complicit (think white supremacy, patriarchy, colonialism, etc.) This adds depth & meaning to "things done & left undone." If we want the world to be made right, no weaker word than repentance will do.