Fo4r of Se7en

March 26, 2004 8:45 PM

I thought this was an interesting review of this series from the New York Public Library. And here is some background information.
posted by Slagman (5 comments total)

From the review: "The problem... is that the series lifts seven names from an old and closely detailed map in order to draw a new and rather vague one, occasionally replacing what once was a warning with a blessing."

Fun fact: "The Seven Deadly Sins never occur as a formal list in the Bible. Some people say they can all be found in Matthew's Gospel (chapters 5 through 7), but they are not in a simple list there."
posted by Slagman at 8:52 PM on March 26, 2004

From the FAQ

What colors are associated with the Seven Deadly Sins?

Although some artists have used specific colors, there does not appear to be an artistic rule for this. We often associate green with Envy, but colors are such wonderful things that it seems a shame to associate them with sins. All the sins should probably get the dingy colors, though, because they are pretty boring.
posted by Slagman at 8:58 PM on March 26, 2004

The Capital Sins or Vices

According to St. Thomas (II-II:153:4) "a capital vice is that which has an exceedingly desirable end so that in his desire for it a man goes on to the commission of many sins all of which are said to originate in that vice as their chief source". It is not then the gravity of the vice in itself that makes it capital but rather the fact that it gives rise to many other sins. These are enumerated by St. Thomas (I-II:84:4) as vainglory (pride), avarice, gluttony, lust, sloth, envy, anger. St. Bonaventure (Brevil., III, ix) gives the same enumeration. Earlier writers had distinguished eight capital sins: so St. Cyprian (De mort., iv); Cassian (De instit. cænob., v, coll. 5, de octo principalibus vitiis); Columbanus ("Instr. de octo vitiis princip." in "Bibl. max. vet. patr.", XII, 23); Alcuin (De virtut. et vitiis, xxvii sqq.). The number seven, however, had been given by St. Gregory the Great (Lib. mor. in Job. XXXI, xvii), and it was retained by the foremost theologians of the Middle Ages. -- Catholic Encyclopedia
posted by dhartung at 11:39 PM on March 26, 2004

Christianity Today always astonishes me with the remarkable sanity of its views. It's review of "The Passion" was the most balanced, thoughtful assessment of the film I've yet to read. In this case, it's gently suggesting that if we're really interested in commentary on the seven deadly sins (a foolishly unnecessary enumeration to begin with to my mind), great thinkers have been giving the whole of their hearts, minds and souls to the subject for the past 2,000 years, and some of what they have to say might be worth regarding before you delve into the thoughts of some 21st century dingbat writing on assignment, and consulting "word count" every few pages. Of course, Joseph Epstein is always worth reading on any subject, and he is one of the great men of our time. But for the rest of it, these people are rank amateurs when it comes to talking about sin. Our ancestors obsessed about sin and wrote about it profoundly. Believing that your very soul is at stake sharpens the mind wonderfully.
posted by Faze at 5:07 AM on March 27, 2004

I agree with you about Epstein, I have several collections of his essays, and it's fun to watch his mind work. I also have found Christianity Today to be a surprisingly useful resource, given that I am no longer a Christian.
posted by Slagman at 8:47 PM on March 27, 2004