Prelapsarian

Prelapsarian is an adjective that describes a state or time before the Fall of Man as depicted in Christian theology. It denotes innocence, purity, and a lack of moral knowledge, often associated with the Garden of Eden prior to Adam and Eve’s disobedience. In literature and criticism the term is used to evoke an idyllic, unspoiled condition that has not yet experienced sin or corruption.

Etymology and meaning: the word is formed from the prefix pre- meaning before, and lapsus (from Latin lapsus, slip or fall), referring to the fall of humanity in biblical tradition. The form prelapsarian appears in English through scholarly and literary usage, with postlapsarian used to describe the state after the Fall.

Usage and nuance: prelapsarian is most common in theological discussions, literary analyses, and historical or cultural critique. It often carries a evaluative sense of nostalgia or distance “before” moral failure, and may be used to describe eras, settings, or mindsets imagined as morally uncomplicated. It remains a relatively formal or archaising term and is less common in everyday speech.

See also: postlapsarian, Eden, innocence, Paradise Lost, utopia. The contrasting term postlapsarian is used to discuss conditions after the Fall, providing a framework for discussing themes of corruption, knowledge, and moral complexity in both religious and secular discourse.