Can you name all of the Seven Deadly Sins?
Since the fourth century, people have examined and struggled with the deadly seven, perhaps as a checklist to avoid damage to the soul.
The "Seven Capital Sins/Vices," as they were originally known, are traced back to St. John Cassian, a Catholic monk, He was also an ascetic writer of Southern Gaul and lived from about 360 to 435, probably near Marseilles.
The Seven Deadly Sins, with their opposite virtues, as they are commonly spoken of today, are: lust (self control); gluttony (temperance and moderation); greed (generosity); sloth (zeal); anger or wrath (kindness); envy (love); and pride (humility)
According to Susan Northway, director of the office of religious education at the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, Cassian had also lived in the Egyptian deserts, and it was his personal observations that singled out the seven particular sins as being stumbling blocks to people's spiritual growth.
"They're obstacles to perfection," Northway said.
She also stressed that Cassian advocated the seven vices could be classified by the virtues they oppose.
St. Benedict, an associate of Cassian, advocated them during his rule in the sixth century as essential sins to avoid if people were to get along properly.
Next, St. Gregory "the Great" and "doctor of the church" advocated avoidance of the seven sins near the end of the sixth century.
"He discussed the Capital Sins at length," Northway said.
The Seven Sins have varied over the years, with somewhat interchangeable terms. For example, anger was originally defined as wrath. Indeed, the original list of seven was probably: pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony and sloth or acedia (which is defined depression or a lack of zeal).
The nearest scriptural reference to the Seven Deadly Sins is found in Proverbs 6:16-19 (King James Version):
"These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him;
"A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.
"An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
"A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."
Northway agrees that it is possible that Saint Cassian extrapolated or expounded on these Proverbs to distill the seven capital offenses.
Catholics believe the seven capital offenses are the root from which other sins come. Some also believe Matthew, chapters 5-7, which also mentions all seven sins.
Northway said it was Dante's "Inferno" that probably elevated the seven sins to world-wide fame and coined them as deadly, instead of just capital sins or vices.
Written by Dante Alighieri, sometime between 1308 and his death in 1321, this poem was also known as the "Divine Comedy."
Northway also said that the Web site www.whitestone
journal.com/seven/ contains one of the best overviews on the seven sins and a simple chart. Links to some Catholic sermons on the seven sins are also found there.
Sermons in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rarely seem to focus on the "Seven Deadly Sins" as a group, but the topics have been discussed in conference and other sermons.
Also, at times, LDS talks have spun off the deadly sins. For example, "The Seven Deadly Heresies" were addressed by Elder Bruce R. McConkie in 1980. And, earlier this year, "The Seven Deadly Sins of Sacrament Meeting Talks" were examined online on the Meridian magazine Web site.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com