From The Eight Capital Vices To The Seven Deadly Sins - Poets, Mystics, and A Few Questions

In this invited lecture at Marist College, hosted by the Catholic Studies Program as part of their Marcelin Lecture Series, I narrate some of the key points and developments in the story of how we ended up with the current list of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: Gluttony, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. Originally, these start out as the Eight Capital Vices, a list which includes sadness, acedia, and vainglory, and which does not include envy. So, how did we end up with the list we know today? The story involves Christian monks in the Egyptian desert, Benedictine monks, a reluctant pope, poets, scholastic professors, confessors, and mystics, and ranges over a millennium of thinkers and texts. In the process, I discuss some of the key players: Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian, Gregory I, Alcuin, Peter Lombard, Thomas Aquinas, and Dante Alighieri This portion of the talk discusses the treatments of the seven deadly sins by poets ranging from Prudentius to Chaucer and Dante, and by mystics like St. John of the Cross. We also conclude by examining a few additional topics raised by questions from the audience. To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler