Clear & Loud with Josh Harris Does DNA Shape Your Sin? (with Kathryn Paige Harden)
Mar 23, 2026
Kathryn Paige Harden, a behavioral geneticist and author exploring how genes shape behavior and belief. She discusses how DNA influences traits like religiosity, punishment impulses, and moral choices. Conversations touch on theology meeting science, inherited predispositions, genetic editing risks, and rethinking blame and forgiveness.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Ancient Theologies Shape Modern Genetic Debates
- Modern debates about biological causes of behavior map onto Augustine vs Pelagius: some see biology as exculpatory, others as proof of inherent depravity.
- Harden shows these ancient stories shape contemporary reactions to genetic findings.
Original Sin Made Suffering Seem Deserved
- Original sin served psychological and political functions: it made suffering meaningful and justified ecclesial authority in a violent world.
- Harden explains Augustine's doctrine helped reconcile infant suffering with belief in a just God and centralized church power.
Religiosity Shows Genetic Influences
- Religion and moral behavior are themselves heritable traits; twin studies show religiousness and spiritual experience have genetic influences.
- Harden cites separated identical twins both becoming deeply religious despite different upbringings as evidence.
