Final answer:
Before the Fall, humans were believed to share in the divine life of God. This divine communion was lost due to Original Sin as described in Genesis 3, but Christian theology suggests humans can regain eternal life through Jesus Christ's sacrifice.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept that humans shared in the divine life of God before the Fall is a theologically rich idea rooted in Christian belief. According to the Scriptures, specifically Genesis 3, humanity was initially created in a state of innocence and communion with God. However, the deception by the Serpent led to the disobedience of Adam and Eve, known as the Original Sin, causing a separation between God and humanity and the loss of this divine life. This catastrophic event is seen as bringing about the necessity for redemption and salvation, which is central to Christian theology.
St. Augustine addressed this dilemma by suggesting that humanity's fall was a result of being led astray by Satan, thus allowing for the idea of an all-powerful, all-loving God who did not create evil but provided a path for redemption through Christ. This view is complemented by Irenaeus' developmental and teleological perspective, which sees God as engaged in 'soul-making', moving humanity from a biological existence (bios) to one characterized by divine love and spiritual life (zoe). The introduction of monotheism, featuring a single, all-powerful God, was a significant shift in human religious thought and provided a new lens through which to view human existence and morality.
Christian theology emphasizes that through Jesus Christ's sacrifice, humans have the possibility of regaining eternal life. This narrative places humans, endowed with souls that connect the physical and the divine, as central figures in the cosmic struggle between good and evil, profoundly shaping Western concepts of ethics and the path to a 'good' life.