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Seven deadly sins

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Many people in the Christian faith follow a special list of seven sins.

Hieronymus Bosch- The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things
Hieronymus Bosch- The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things

These are often called the seven deadly sins or capital vices. You will not find this specific list written in the Bible. Instead, these ideas grew from early religious teachings and traditions.

Dirc van Delft - The Holy Ghost and the Seven Deadly Sins - Walters W171110R - Full Page
Dirc van Delft - The Holy Ghost and the Seven Deadly Sins - Walters W171110R - Full Page

They were built using ideas from Greek and Roman history. Today, these concepts help people think about how they act and feel.

Each sin describes a different way a person might struggle. Lust is a very strong desire for things or people. Gluttony is when someone eats or uses too much of something.

Albert Anker - Stillleben - Unmässigkeit
Albert Anker - Stillleben - Unmässigkeit

Greed, or avarice, is wanting to own more than you really need. Envy is feeling sad or resentful because of someone else's good luck. Wrath is feeling uncontrolled anger or a wish for revenge.

Jacques de l'Ange - A young Man with a Sword restrained by a young Woman, 'Anger'
Jacques de l'Ange - A young Man with a Sword restrained by a young Woman, 'Anger'

Finally, sloth is a lack of interest in doing your duties.

These ideas changed over a long time through different leaders. A monk named Evagrius Ponticus once had a list of eight temptations. Later, a student named John Cassian helped move these ideas into Western traditions. In the year AD 590, Pope Gregory I changed the list again. He created the version that most people recognize today.

Acedia (mosaic, Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière)
Acedia (mosaic, Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière)

He believed that pride was the most important root of all other sins.

Different thinkers had many specific ways to explain these sins. Thomas Aquinas was a famous thinker who used this list in his writing. He called them "capital sins" because they are the heads of other sins. He even listed five different ways a person could show gluttony. One way is eating too eagerly, while another is eating too expensively.

Abraham Bloemaert - Parable of the Wheat and the Tares - Walters 372505
Abraham Bloemaert - Parable of the Wheat and the Tares - Walters 372505

Other leaders, like Henry Edward Manning, said these sins could lead to eternal death.

These famous ideas appear in many places in our world. You can see them in old paintings and stone sculptures on churches.

Tableau de mission -François-Marie Balanant tableau 1-
Tableau de mission -François-Marie Balanant tableau 1-

They also show up in modern stories like books, films, and television shows. Even people like the evangelist Billy Graham spoke about this list. Whether in art or in faith, these seven ideas remain very well known.

The worship of Mammon
The worship of Mammon

They help us explore how humans think about right and wrong.

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🖼️ Images & Media (9)
File:Hieronymus Bosch- The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things.JPG
Hieronymus Bosch- The Seven Deadly Sins...
File:Dirc van Delft - The Holy Ghost and the Seven Deadly Sins - Walters W171110R - Full Page.jpg
Dirc van Delft - The Holy Ghost and the...
File:Tableau de mission -François-Marie Balanant tableau 1-.jpg
Tableau de mission -François-Marie...
File:Albert_Anker_-_Stillleben_-_Unmässigkeit.jpg
Albert_Anker_-_Stillleben_-_Unmässigkeit.jpg
File:The_worship_of_Mammon.jpg
The_worship_of_Mammon.jpg
File:Abraham Bloemaert - Parable of the Wheat and the Tares - Walters 372505.jpg
Abraham Bloemaert - Parable of the Wheat...
File:Jacques_de_l'Ange_-_A_young_Man_with_a_Sword_restrained_by_a_young_Woman,_'Anger'.jpg
Jacques_de_l'Ange_-_A_young_Man_with_a_Swo...
File:Jheronimus Bosch Table of the Mortal Sins (Superbia).jpg
Jheronimus Bosch Table of the Mortal Sins...
File:Acedia_(mosaic,_Basilique_Notre-Dame_de_Fourvière).jpg
Acedia_(mosaic,_Basilique_Notre-Dame_de_Fo...
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