Aarti Deegwal
The seven deadly sins are a classification of vices that have been used in Christian teachings since early Christian times to educate followers about humanity's tendency to sin. They are: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. These sins are believed to be the origin of other forms of immoralities and are often contrasted with the seven heavenly virtues. The seven deadly sins are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, but each of these vices is referenced throughout the Bible and other religious books.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First person to outline the seven deadly sins | Evagrius Ponticus |
| Number of cardinal sins outlined by Evagrius Ponticus | 8 |
| Century in which Evagrius Ponticus outlined the cardinal sins | 4th |
| Evagrius Ponticus's pupil | John Cassian |
| Pope who analysed the cardinal sins in the 6th century | Pope Gregory I |
| Number of deadly sins | 7 |
| The seven deadly sins | Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth |
| The seven heavenly virtues | Humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience, and diligence |
Pride
In Roman Catholic theology, pride is defined as an excessive love of one's own excellence. As a deadly sin, pride is believed to generate other sins and immoral behaviour and is countered by the heavenly virtue of humility. Unlike healthy self-affirmation, sinful pride causes a person to think more of themselves than they ought to, with no recognition of or appreciation for the gifts they have received from God. Pride pushes God to the margins of one's spiritual, moral, and temporal existence, and causes a person to take all the credit for their accomplishments.
In Christian tradition, pride is also associated with Satan. It was the sin of pride that led Lucifer, the most beautiful and perfect of God's angels, to rebel against God and fall from heaven.
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Envy
The counterpart to envy is kindness, which involves being generous, compassionate, and empathetic.
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Wrath
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, anger is distinct from the sin of wrath. Anger is considered one of the "passions", or feelings that incline humans to act or not act in response to something that is perceived as good or evil. Passions are not considered good or evil in themselves, but they take on a moral quality relative to how effectively they engage with reason and will. Thus, passions are morally good when they lead to a good action and morally evil when they contribute to an evil action.
Scripture tells us in Colossians, “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”. To do this, we must pause and ask ourselves, what is causing us to be so defensive in this moment? What is causing these feelings? When we learn to attune to what’s causing us to react in these ways, we give ourselves the perspective we need to handle difficult situations with a sense of godly maturity.
In art, wrath has been depicted through scenes of well-known Biblical and classical stories. For example, in Peter Paul Rubens’s paintings "Cain Slaying Abel" and "The Wrath of Achilles" from the 17th century. In the 14th century, Dante assigned sinners who were guilty of wrath to the fifth circle of hell in his Inferno. While the wrathful attack each other in the muddy swamp of the Styx, the sullen, who have suppressed their anger, stew just below the water’s surface.
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Gluttony
Medieval church leaders such as Thomas Aquinas took a broader view of gluttony, arguing that it could also include the obsessive anticipation of meals and overindulgence in costly foods and delicacies. Aquinas identified five forms of gluttony: eating too expensively, eating too daintily, eating too much, eating too soon, and eating too eagerly.
In the Bible, there are several verses that caution against overindulgence and emphasise the importance of moderation and self-control. For example, Proverbs 23:20-21 warns:
> "Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags."
In popular culture, gluttony has been depicted as a powerful creature or entity that influences, controls, kills, and devours humans. For example, in the anime series 'The Seven Deadly Sins', gluttony is personified as a blend between a human woman and an insect.
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Lust
> "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28)
To combat lust, it is important to acknowledge and recognize triggers, cultivate attentiveness to one's thoughts and physical state, and seek support from trusted friends or spiritual leaders.
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Frequently asked questions
The 7 deadly sins are pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. They are a classification of vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate followers about humanity's tendency to sin.
The 7 deadly sins were first outlined by the Christian ascetic Evagrius Ponticus in the 4th century CE. He listed 8 cardinal sins, which were later revised to 7 by Pope Gregory I in the 6th century.
The 7 deadly sins are considered "deadly" because they are believed to be particularly destructive to the soul and can lead to spiritual death if not repented and forgiven. They are also seen as the origin of other sins and moral corruption.
