What are the seven deadly sins? Meaning and origin explained by experts and is it still relevant?

A lot of people have vices; things we know perhaps aren’t that good for us - especially in large or excessive quantities - so we do our best to stay away from them, or at least limit the amount of times we indulge in them. In religion, however, vices are viewed more seriously. 

In fact, in Roman Catholic teachings, there are seven sins that Catholics are asked to stay away from altogether. To contrast this, there are seven virtues which are said to remedy the seven sins. Catholics are actively encouraged to practise these virtues.

So, just what are the seven sins and seven virtues, when were they first introduced, and are they still relevant today? Here’s what you need to know.

How are sins and virtues defined?

A virtue is defined as “conformity to a standard of right” or a “particular moral excellence”, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. A sin, on the other hand, has the dictionary definition of “an offence against religious or moral law” or “an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible”

What are the seven deadly sins and what do they mean?

The seven sins are as follows:

• Lust (an intense longing or sexual desire which could lead to adultery)
• Gluttony (greedy or excessive indulgence, or overeating or drinking)
• Greed (a selfish and excessive desire for more of something than is needed)
• Sloth (reluctance to make an effort or laziness)
• Wrath (extreme, vengeful anger)
• Envy (resentful longing to have what someone else has)
• Pride (exaggerated self esteem)

What are the seven heavenly virtues and what do they mean?

The seven corresponding virtues are as follows:

• Chastity (refraining from all or extramarital sexual intercourse)
• Temperance (moderation in action, thought or feeling and self-restraint)
• Charity (the voluntary giving of help to those in need, sometimes with money)
• Diligence (careful, earnest and persistent work and effort)
• Kindness (the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate)
• Patience (the ability to accept delay or problems without becoming annoyed)
• Humility (having a modest view of your own importance)

Where did the seven sins and seven virtues come from?

The seven sins are said to have started out as a list of eight evil thoughts, a list which was compiled by a Christian monk named Evagrius Ponticus in the fourth century. At the time, Ponticus was said to be writing for other monks about how certain thoughts could have a negative impact on their spiritual practice. He decided that these eight evil thoughts were gluttony, lust, avarice, anger, sloth, sadness, vainglory and pride. In the fifth century, one of his students, John Cassian, brought these ideas to the Western church and, in the sixth century, Pope Gregory I adapted this list into the seven sins. Over time, this list of sins became the one we know today, according to History. The seven heavenly virtues were devised a short time later, and practising them was said to protect someone against temptation from the seven deadly sins.

The seven sins and seven virtues are not directly mentioned in the Bible, but there are comparisons which can be drawn with them and the seven things God is said to hate in the Book of Proverbs, which is a book in the third section of the Hebrew Bible (Ketuvim) and a book of the Christian Old Testament. These seven things are a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are running swift into mischief, false witnesses that speak lies and those who stir up conflict in the community. 

Are the seven sins and seven virtues still relevant today?

Psychotherapist Clare Flaxen told NationalWorld that the seven sins and virtues do still have some relevance in modern society, but they may need revising. She said: “It makes sense to pair the sins and virtues up, for the purpose of the religious teachings, as the supposed unwanted behaviour is paired with the supposed desired behaviour. It's akin to having a manual for what not to do and what to aim for.” She added that most people will rarely be at the polar ends of the scale, but that we all have our own individual ideas on where the boundaries of acceptable versus unacceptable behaviours lie. 

Flaxen also believes that the language of some of the sins and virtues sounds outdated in modern times, the virtue of chastity for example, but as a general guide for living well they still hold some merit. She said that while the virtues may still hold up in general as a healthy or helpful way to live there may need to be some re-wording. She said: “For example, in relation to chastity re-wording may be needed to change this to ideas around consent and looking after our physical and sexual health. The rest of the virtues are very much what we still talk about today; being moderate and health conscious in our eating and drinking, having goodwill and charity towards others, doing our best, choosing kindness, being patient with ourselves and others and being compassionate.”

The same could be said for the sins; avoiding greed, gluttony, envy and pride, according to Flaxen. She said: “If you think about these sins as traits, instead of treating them as a moral code that comes with punishments for failing to demonstrate the virtues, then they can offer guidelines on living. This is from a non-religious perspective, however, and there will be many people who adhere to the religious understanding of these codes.”

Flaxen also said the particular words of sin and virtue have very specific connotations which could cause issues today. She said: “I think to suggest something is a sin can certainly be harmful and can lead to issues with shame and misplaced guilt. There's a moral context and judgement laid down when sins and virtues are talked about, which can be far too narrow and problematic when thinking about wider society and equality and inclusivity."

Doctor Marianne Trent, Clinical Psychologist, and Host of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, told NationalWorld she thinks the idea that things are either completely good or bad is too extreme and could impact our mental health negatively. She said that sins can become problematic because it is possible to apply them to our normal days.

For example, she said, when having a second helping at the buffet, when having a rest day after a really busy week, or when you like the look of someone - none of these things should be seen as something particularly bad. She said: “Instead of regarding these as negative traits it can be kinder to consider them as parts of our human behaviour”.

Similarly, Trent said the seven virtues might set people up to try to be perfect which can be “crippling for mental health”. She said: “We are human and we will feel a whole range of complex emotions over the course of our day, and indeed our lives. To boil things down to good or bad is likely to be detrimental to our wellbeing in the longer term.”