Christian apologist William Lane Craig recently expressed his view that infants and children with special needs don’t require forgiveness, as they aren’t “born in sin.”
“If you hold the belief that Adam’s sin affects everyone descended from him—like many Roman Catholics, Reformers, and Lutheran theologians believe—then it implies that infants and those with mental illnesses would need salvation as well. They would carry Adam’s guilt in some capacity,” Craig stated, sharing a brief video clip on X from his ministry account.
Conversely, he reflected that he isn’t convinced of this doctrine from Scripture. “Infants and those with intellectual disabilities aren’t sinful, so they don’t have any sin to be forgiven,” he added.
He went on to discuss how Jesus perceived children. “I think this aligns with how Jesus viewed children. He said, ‘Unless you become like a little child, you will not enter the kingdom of God.’ He recognized those children who have faith in Him as part of that kingdom,” Craig elaborated.
“It’s clear that He valued children. It’s a much better perspective than labeling them as inherently corrupt sinners,” he continued.
As reported by Protestia, Craig’s remarks are seen as a challenge to the doctrine of original sin, which posits that everyone is born into sin due to Adam’s transgression.
Paul the Apostle wrote, “Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way, death spread to all people because all have sinned,” in Romans 5:12.
Another strong indication of original sin can be found in David’s confession to God after he sinned with Bathsheba, where he acknowledged, “In sin, my mother conceived me.”
Do infants and mentally ill people commit crimes? #theology pic.twitter.com/hi9fc4upva
– Rational Faith (@rfupdates) April 28, 2025
Milton Quintanira is a freelance writer and content creator, contributing to Crosswalk Headlines and hosting the For Soul Podcast, which focuses on biblical truth. He holds a Master of Divinity from the Alliance Theological Seminary.
Originally published on May 2, 2025.
