ABSTRACT
Christian conceptions of sin emerge against the backdrop of two fundamental claims. Christians maintain that God created the world and that the results of this divine initiative are good through and through. Sin is the central concept that Christians use to name the gap between God's good creation and the fact that the world is a mess. Reading the Vidui, the section of confessional prayers from the Yom Kippur service that includes the Ashamnu and Al Chet prayers, illuminates key aspects of the Jewish response to sin, characterized by the process of teshuvah. The covenant between God and the people Israel holds redemptive power over sin because God has given Jews a way of life that enables them to right relationships with God and others when they go awry. The ideas embedded in Romans find expression in the rite of baptism in most Christian denominations.
