Question:
Hello, I am part of a church group, and it falls to me to present on the seven deadly sins to university students. Can you help me?
Answer:
The term “capital vices” or “deadly sins” refers to those disordered affections that serve as the sources from which all other sins flow. Capital vices are not always graver than the sins that derive from them. Some do not go beyond simple venial sins, as is most often the case with vanity, envy, anger, and gluttony; yet they retain their “capital” character insofar as they are the head or source from which many other sins proceed.
Beginning with Saint Gregory the Great, seven capital vices are typically enumerated: vainglory[1], avarice, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and acedia (or weariness of spiritual things). Saint Thomas Aquinas justifies this number by explaining that the will can be disordered in seven principal ways: first, by desiring good in a disordered manner—this can occur through seeking one’s own praise (vainglory), pleasure in eating and drinking (gluttony), venereal pleasure (lust), or external goods (avarice); second, by fleeing from a good because of the difficulties attached to it—in which case this may concern spiritual things due to the effort they require (acedia or spiritual weariness), or the good of another because it diminishes our own excellence (envy); or finally, by seeking revenge in a disordered way (anger).
Let us briefly examine each of these vices.
Vainglory is the disordered appetite for one’s own praise. It seeks one’s own reputation without the merits to support it or without ordering it to the glory of God and the good of neighbor. Ordinarily, it does not go beyond venial sin, unless one prefers one’s own praise to the honor of God itself or seriously violates charity toward neighbor. From this vice derive other sins, such as boastfulness, craving for novelties, hypocrisy, obstinacy, discord, quarrels, and disobedience. The principal remedies to combat vainglory are: intimate and sincere self-knowledge; reflection on the folly of human applause; and above all, remembrance of the humility of Christ.
Avarice is the disordered appetite for external goods. When it gravely violates justice (leading to theft, fraud, etc.), it is mortal sin; but when it opposes generosity, it usually does not go beyond venial sin. From this vice derive: hardness of heart toward the poor; disordered solicitude for earthly goods; violence, deceit, fraud, perjury, and betrayal. To remedy it, it is fitting to consider the vanity of earthly goods, the baseness of this vice, and above all, the example of Christ, poor and detached.
Lust is the disordered appetite for sexual pleasures. Lust is always mortal sin, and it can involve venial sin only through the imperfection of the act (lack of full awareness or perfect consent), but not through smallness of matter. From this vice derive: spiritual blindness, rashness, thoughtlessness, inconstancy, disordered self-love, hatred of God, attachment to this life, and fear of the life to come. It is remedied by frequent and humble prayer, frequent reception of the sacraments, flight from occasions (of sin) and from idleness, voluntary mortifications, and devotion to the Most Holy Virgin Mary.
Envy is sorrow at another’s good insofar as it diminishes our own glory and excellence. Objectively, it is mortal sin, because it directly opposes charity toward neighbor; but it is usually only venial sin due to imperfection of the act or smallness of matter. Good remedies include: reflection on the baseness of envy and the evils it brings, the practice of fraternal charity and humility, and remembrance of the example of Christ.
Gluttony is the disordered appetite for eating and drinking. It can be venial or mortal sin (especially if it knowingly violates a grave precept of fasting or abstinence; if it voluntarily inflicts serious harm on one’s health; if it causes the loss of the use of reason—as in the case of full drunkenness—etc.). It produces dullness or stupidity of the intellect, excessive talkativeness, coarseness and vulgarity, lust, etc. It can be remedied by considering its effects, practicing mortification in eating and drinking, and fleeing from occasions of sin.
Acedia is equivalent to sloth, but refers more to weariness or disgust with spiritual things because of the effort and trouble they cause. It inclines one to omit acts of prayer and devotion due to listlessness or lack of taste.
Anger is the disordered appetite for revenge. From it derive indignation, rancor, shouting, blasphemy, quarreling, etc. To remedy it, it is useful to recall the meekness and gentleness of Christ, to strive for self-mastery, and to prevent the causes of anger.
As for pride—which does not appear in this list—Saint Gregory the Great considered it a super-capital vice, for from it all others derive.
Bibliography:
Royo Marín, Moral Theology for Laypeople, BAC, Madrid 1986, vol. 1, nos. 263–265;
Evagrius Ponticus, Treatise on the Eight Capital Vices.
[1] Most moralists, instead of vainglory, designate pride as a capital vice. But with better insight, Saint Thomas Aquinas considers pride not as a mere capital vice (one among many), but as the root from which all other vices and sins proceed. In this sense, pride is more than a capital vice: it is the source from which all other vices and sins spring forth; even the capital ones, since ultimately every sin presupposes idolatrous self-worship, placing one’s own tastes and whims above the very law of God—which is characteristic of pride.
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