Deadly Sins: Exploring The Eight Vices And Their Origins

are there eight deadly sins

The seven deadly sins are a grouping of vices within the teachings of Christianity. The standard list includes pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. However, the concept of deadly sins originated with eight evil thoughts written down by the fourth-century monk Evagrius Ponticus: gluttony, lust, avarice, anger, sloth, sadness, vainglory, and pride. Over time, these eight thoughts evolved into the seven deadly sins, with slight variations in the list depending on the specific religious tradition. The idea of eight deadly sins is present in Eastern monastic traditions, with a list that includes avarice, gluttony, lust, sloth, despair, anger, vainglory, and pride.

Characteristics Values
Number of Sins 8
Original Author Evagrius Ponticus
Date 4th Century
Type of Writing Religious
Audience Monks
Topics Spiritual Practice, Vice
Translation Greek to Latin
Revision Pope Gregory I
Removal Sloth
Addition Envy
Description of Pride Ruler of the Other Seven Vices
Mortal Sins Lead to Soul's Death
Summa Theologica Thomas Aquinas
Current Capital Sins Pride, Greed, Wrath, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Sloth

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The eight evil thoughts

The idea of the seven deadly sins originated as the "eight evil thoughts" in the fourth century by Christian monk Evagrius Ponticus. These eight evil thoughts are:

  • Gluttony: Overindulgence and overconsumption of anything to the point of waste.
  • Lust: A disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure.
  • Avarice: A desire for wealth, honours, and high positions.
  • Sadness: Closely related to envy, as it involves sorrow at another's good fortune and joy at their misfortune.
  • Wrath: Uncontrolled feelings of anger, rage, and hatred, especially when directed at an innocent person.
  • Sloth: A lack of interest or habitual disinclination to exertion, or a neglect of spiritual duties.
  • Vainglory: Unjustified boasting, or seeking human acclaim.
  • Pride: The opposite of humility, where one takes spiritual credit for their achievements instead of ascribing them to God.

Evagrius Ponticus wrote about these eight evil thoughts as temptations that could interfere with the spiritual practice of monks. Over time, these evolved into the seven deadly sins, with Pope Gregory I in the 6th century combining and rearranging the vices and adding envy to form the list we know today: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.

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The seven deadly sins in art and literature

The seven deadly sins have been a source of inspiration for artists and writers for centuries, with the vices of pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth providing a rich tapestry of themes to explore.

Literature

The seven deadly sins have been referenced in literature numerous times, often as a way to explore the complexities of human nature and the ethical struggle between vice and virtue. One example is the 14th-century oil painting by Hieronymus Bosch, 'The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things'. This painting depicts all seven cardinal sins and promotes the traditional Christian notion of discouraging sin.

Another example is found in William Hogarth's series of paintings, 'Marriage A-la-Mode', which satirises the behaviour of the upper classes while also furthering a moral agenda, warning against the deadly sin of lust.

Art

The seven deadly sins have also been a popular subject for artists, with many creating visual depictions of the sins in everyday life. One notable example is the painting 'Gluttony' by Lucas Cranach the Elder, which depicts the iconic scene of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, with Eve enticing Adam to take the forbidden fruit, disobeying God.

Another artistic interpretation of the sins is found in Gabriel Metsu's 'An Old Woman Asleep', which illustrates the sin of sloth. It depicts an old woman who has fallen asleep while reading the Bible, creating a direct link between everyday sin and religious negligence, but with a light-hearted approach.

The seven deadly sins have provided artists and writers with a wealth of material to explore the complexities of human nature, the struggle between good and evil, and the consequences of transgressing divine law. These interpretations have evolved over time, reflecting the changing social and cultural norms of society.

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The evolution of the seven deadly sins

The seven deadly sins have evolved over time, with the concept first emerging in the fourth century. The evolution of these sins can be traced back to the writings of a Christian monk named Evagrius Ponticus, who identified eight evil thoughts that could interfere with spiritual practice. These thoughts were: gluttony, lust, avarice, anger, sloth, sadness, vainglory, and pride. Evagrius's student, John Cassian, brought these ideas to the Western church, translating them from Greek to Latin.

In the sixth century, Pope Gregory I (also known as St. Gregory the Great) revised Evagrius's list, removing sloth and adding envy. Gregory also described pride as the ruler of the other vices. This list of seven deadly sins became widely accepted and persisted through the centuries, appearing in medieval art and literature.

In the 13th century, theologian Thomas Aquinas revisited the list in his "Summa Theologica". He brought back sloth and eliminated sadness, while also maintaining the understanding of pride as the overarching ruler of the seven sins. Aquinas' list closely resembles the current Catechism of the Catholic Church's capital sins, with the exception of vainglory being replaced by pride.

The concept of the seven deadly sins has had a significant influence on various streams of religious and philosophical thought, fine art, and modern popular culture. However, it is important to note that the Western tradition of seven deadly sins evolved from an Eastern monastic tradition that originally identified eight sins. In the Eastern texts, the deadly sins are: avarice, gluttony, lust, sloth, despair, anger, vainglory, and pride. Envy was not included in this list but was understood to be connected with avarice and lust.

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The eight deadly sins in Eastern monastic tradition

The eight deadly sins in the Eastern monastic tradition were first outlined by the Christian ascetic monk Evagrius Ponticus in the 4th century CE. These "evil thoughts" were written specifically for monks, explaining how these thoughts could interfere with their spiritual practice. The eight deadly sins are:

  • Gluttony
  • Lust
  • Avarice
  • Anger
  • Sloth
  • Sadness
  • Vainglory
  • Pride

Evagrius' student, John Cassian, brought these ideas to the Western church, where they were translated from Greek to Latin. In the 6th century, St. Gregory the Great (who later became Pope Gregory I) rearranged them in his commentary on the Book of Job, removing "sloth" and adding "envy". Gregory described "pride" as the ruler of the other seven vices, which became known as the seven deadly sins.

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The eight deadly sins as temptations

The idea of the seven deadly sins began with eight evil thoughts, or temptations, written down by a fourth-century Christian monk named Evagrius Ponticus. These were: gluttony, lust, avarice, anger, sloth, sadness, vainglory, and pride.

Evagrius's list was translated into the Latin of Western Christianity by John Cassian, and it was in these writings that the eight evil thoughts became vices, or sins. These eight deadly sins, or temptations, can be understood as follows:

Gluttony is the overindulgence and overconsumption of anything to the point of waste. This can include eating too much, drinking too much alcohol, or desiring too much fine food.

Lust is a disordered desire for sexual pleasure, including sex outside of heterosexual marriage. It can also refer to other forms of unbridled desire, such as for money or power.

Avarice, or greed, is an inordinate desire for wealth, honours, and high positions.

Anger, or wrath, is uncontrolled feelings of anger, rage, and even hatred, often revealed in the wish to seek vengeance.

Sloth refers to a lack of interest or habitual disinclination to exertion. It can also mean a lack of care for performing spiritual duties, or ceasing to utilize the gifts of grace given by the Holy Spirit.

Sadness, or despair, is closely related to envy, as it involves feeling sorrow at another's good fortune.

Vainglory is unjustified boasting, or seeking human acclaim.

Pride is considered the original and worst of the seven deadly sins. It is the opposite of humility and can lead to all other vices.

While the Western tradition settled on a list of seven deadly sins, the eight deadly sins as temptations can still be a useful framework for understanding and overcoming our vices.

Frequently asked questions

The seven deadly sins are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth.

The eight evil thoughts are gluttony, lust, avarice, anger, sloth, sadness, vainglory, and pride.

The eight deadly sins are Avarice, Gluttony, Lust, Sloth, Despair, Anger, Vainglory, and Pride.

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