
The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital or cardinal sins, are a grouping of vices within Christian theology. The seven deadly sins are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. The concept was first introduced by the Christian monk Evagrius Ponticus in the 4th century CE, who wrote about the eight evil thoughts that could interfere with spiritual practice. The idea of the seven deadly sins was later revised and popularised by Pope Gregory I in the 6th century CE, and they were further expounded on by theologian Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. The seven deadly sins have been explored and depicted in various works of literature, art, film, and television throughout history and continue to be a source of fascination in popular culture.
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The evolution of the seven deadly sins
The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a grouping of major vices within Christian teachings. The concept of the seven deadly sins has evolved over time, with different interpretations and categorizations emerging throughout history. Here is an overview of the evolution of the seven deadly sins:
The Early Concepts
The idea of listing and categorizing vices can be traced back to the 4th century when a Christian monk named Evagrius Ponticus wrote down what became known as the "eight evil thoughts". These included gluttony, lust, avarice (greed), anger, sloth, sadness, vainglory, and pride. Evagrius's work was rooted in Hellenistic cosmology, influenced by the identification of seven or eight planets guarded by corresponding spirits.
Western Church Adoption
Evagrius's student, John Cassian, brought these ideas to the Western Church, translating them from Greek into Latin. This integration into Western Christianity laid the foundation for the concept's evolution and its eventual inclusion in Catholic devotions.
Pope Gregory I's Refinement
In the 6th century, Pope Gregory I, also known as St. Gregory the Great, refined Evagrius's list and reduced the number of vices to seven. He removed "sloth" and added "envy," considering pride as the ruler of the other vices. This list of seven deadly sins—pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth—became widely recognized and established within Christian theology.
Medieval Period Influence
The seven deadly sins gained prominence during the Middle Ages, influencing moral teachings, literature, and art. They were often depicted in medieval art and served as a cautionary guide for believers. Works such as St. Thomas Aquinas's "Summa Theologica" and Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" are renowned examples of the integration of the seven deadly sins into medieval thought.
Modern Interpretations
The concept of the seven deadly sins has persisted and evolved into modern times, finding its way into popular culture, including literature, film, and television. The idea of sins, especially the grouping of seven, continues to influence religious and philosophical thought, fine art, and various forms of media.
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The seven deadly sins in popular culture
The seven deadly sins have been referenced in popular culture for centuries, from medieval art and literature to modern film and television. Here are some examples of their appearances:
Literature
The seven deadly sins are referenced in Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy", St. Thomas Aquinas's "Summa Theologica", and Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales". Chaucer's work ends with a discussion of the sins, while Dante's epic poem sees the protagonist, Dante, journey through Hell, where he encounters those being punished for their sins. Aquinas's theological text includes a defence of Pope Gregory I's list of the seven deadly sins.
Art
The seven deadly sins have been depicted in paintings by artists such as Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Bosch's "Table of the Seven Deadly Sins", an oil painting from the early 16th century, can be found in the Prado Museum in Madrid.
Film and Television
The seven deadly sins have appeared in numerous films and television shows, often as antagonists or plot devices. Examples include the 1995 film "Se7en", which centres around a serial killer whose murders are based on the seven deadly sins, and the 2019 film "Shazam!", in which the sins are personified as demons. The American sitcom "Gilligan's Island", which aired from 1964 to 1967, also featured the seven deadly sins, with each character representing a different sin, according to the show's creator.
Music
The seven deadly sins have inspired musical works such as Megadeth's song "Seven" and Panic! at the Disco's album "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out", which includes songs that can be interpreted as exemplifying the sins.
Video Games
The seven deadly sins also appear in video games such as "The Binding of Isaac" and its sequel, "The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth", as well as "Darksiders" and "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood".
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The seven deadly sins in art
The seven deadly sins have been a source of inspiration for artists since the Middle Ages, and the theme has persisted in art through the centuries, from painting to film and television.
The Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch's oil-on-wood painting, 'The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things', is perhaps one of the most well-known artistic interpretations of the seven deadly sins. The painting, completed in the early 1500s, features four small circles at each corner of the composition and a bigger circle in the middle, divided into seven pieces, each representing one of the seven sins: envy, lust, wrath, sloth, pride, gluttony, and greed. For the latter two, Bosch paints a drunk man swigging from a bottle and an overweight man eating voraciously, with his equally overweight son at his feet begging him to stop. Bosch's painting exemplifies how artists have used creative license to interpret and portray the seven deadly sins in their own unique ways.
Another notable work is 'The Land of Cockaigne' (1567) by the Dutch painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, which depicts the ill effects of overindulgence in food. Bruegel's painting captures a clerk, a peasant, and a soldier suffering from a food coma, lying on the floor under a table. This work is a humorous yet unflattering portrayal of gluttony, one of the seven deadly sins.
Moving into the 17th century, the Dutch artist Gabriel Metsu created works such as 'An Old Woman Asleep' (1657-1662) and 'A Woman at Her Mirror' (1657-1662), which respectively represent the sins of sloth and pride. In 'An Old Woman Asleep', Metsu depicts an old woman who has fallen asleep while reading the Bible, with a hungry cat at her feet about to pounce on a plate of fish, symbolizing negligence and spiritual disinclination. 'A Woman at Her Mirror' employs the common motif of a woman before a mirror, symbolizing vanity and the dual nature of earthly goods, which can lead to either virtue or vice.
In the 19th century, the Victorian artist George Cruikshank created a vast panoramic portrait, 'The Worship of Bacchus' (1860-1862), which depicted the ill effects of excessive drinking. Cruikshank's work portrayed society as being destroyed by its collective desire for alcohol, encouraging viewers to lead a more temperate life.
The seven deadly sins have also been explored in modern and contemporary art. For example, Barbara Kruger's screenprint 'I shop therefore I am' (1987) denounces consumerism and corporate greed by printing bold, ironic statements over borrowed magazine images. Tom Wolfe's novel 'The Bonfire of the Vanities' (1987) and its subsequent film adaptation explore greed, lust, pride, wrath, and envy. Paul Cadmus' surrealist-sci-fi-horror series 'The Seven Deadly Sins' (1945-1949) offers social satire through paintings such as 'Gluttony', which depicts a humanoid monster with a body made of ham and spaghetti threads bursting from its stomach.
The seven deadly sins continue to be a source of artistic exploration and interpretation, with artists finding new ways to engage with and portray these timeless themes.
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The seven deadly sins in literature
The seven deadly sins have been a popular theme in literature, art, and film since the Middle Ages. The idea of the seven deadly sins was first introduced by the Christian monk Evagrius Ponticus in the fourth century CE. His list, known as the "eight evil thoughts", included gluttony, lust, avarice, anger, sloth, sadness, vainglory, and pride. Over time, the list evolved and was popularised by figures such as Pope Gregory I and St. Thomas Aquinas.
The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a grouping of major vices within Christian teachings. The standard list includes pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. These sins are believed to inspire further sin and immoral behaviour.
The seven deadly sins have appeared in various literary works throughout history. One of the earliest and most well-known examples is Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy". In this epic poem, Dante explores the sins and their consequences through the journey of the protagonist, who travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
Another important work that incorporates the seven deadly sins is Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales". Chaucer's collection of stories ends with a discussion of the sins, reflecting the religious and moral concerns of the time.
The seven deadly sins have also appeared in other literary forms, such as hymns, sermons, manuals, and plays. During the late medieval period, the motif of the seven deadly sins was extremely popular and could be found in various art forms.
In modern times, the concept of the seven deadly sins has continued to influence literature and popular culture. It has been explored and reinterpreted in various ways, reflecting changing societal values and concerns.
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The seven deadly sins in theology
The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a grouping of major vices within the teachings of Christianity. They are typically ordered as: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.
The concept of the seven deadly sins originated with the Christian ascetic Evagrius Ponticus in the 4th century CE. Evagrius wrote down what became known as the "eight evil thoughts": 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 6th century, Pope Gregory I revised Evagrius's list, removing "sloth" and adding "envy", and reducing the number of sins to seven.
In Roman Catholic theology, the seven deadly sins are considered behaviours or feelings that inspire further sin. They are also understood as dispositions toward sin and separation from God. For example, lust can lead to adultery, which is a mortal sin, or it can lead to immoral thoughts, which would be classified as venial sins.
Each of the seven deadly sins can be overcome with corresponding virtues:
- Pride can be overcome with humility.
- Greed can be overcome with charity.
- Lust can be overcome with chastity.
- Envy can be overcome with gratitude.
- Gluttony can be overcome with temperance.
- Wrath can be overcome with patience.
- Sloth can be overcome with diligence.
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Frequently asked questions
The seven deadly sins have lived so long because they have been passed down through the centuries in various forms, including religious texts, art, literature, and modern popular culture.
The idea of listing vices originated with Evagrius Ponticus, a fourth-century Christian monk who identified eight "evil thoughts" or "cardinal sins" that interfered with spiritual practice.
The seven deadly sins were first identified by Pope Gregory I in the sixth century, who revised Evagrius Ponticus' list of eight sins into a list of seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.