{
  "id": "dict_003334",
  "term": "Seven Deadly Sins",
  "slug": "seven-deadly-sins",
  "letter": "L",
  "entry_type": "theology_ethics",
  "entry_family": "worldview_philosophy",
  "depth_profile": "deep_plus",
  "short_definition": "A traditional Christian list of seven major vices—pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust—used for moral reflection, not as a single biblical catalogue.",
  "simple_one_line": "Seven Deadly Sins is the traditional Christian catalog of major vices, including pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust.",
  "tooltip_text": "The traditional Christian catalog of major vices—pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust—used for moral reflection.",
  "aliases": [
    "Lists of 'deadly' sins"
  ],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Pride",
    "Envy",
    "Wrath",
    "Sloth",
    "Greed",
    "Gluttony",
    "Lust",
    "Sin",
    "Temptation"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Capital vice",
    "Cardinal virtues",
    "Repentance",
    "Sanctification"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Seven Deadly Sins refers to a traditional Christian list of major vices—such as pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust—used for moral reflection, though not presented in Scripture as one formal seven-part list.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A traditional Christian moral framework that groups seven recurring sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Category: Christian ethics / historical moral theology. Not a biblical list in one passage. Useful for self-examination when kept subordinate to Scripture."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "The Seven Deadly Sins are a historic Christian teaching tool that groups seven influential vices often seen as giving rise to many other sins. Scripture clearly condemns the attitudes and behaviors involved, even though the Bible does not present this exact seven-part catalog as a formal list. Christians may use the category helpfully for self-examination if it remains subordinate to the Bible’s own moral teaching.",
  "description_academic_full": "The Seven Deadly Sins are a traditional, extra-biblical catalog of capital vices—usually pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust—developed in Christian moral reflection to describe recurring patterns of disordered desire and conduct. The phrase \"deadly\" points to the serious spiritual danger of sin, not to a single biblical passage that names these seven together. From a conservative Christian perspective, the list can serve as a useful summary for discipleship, repentance, and ethical analysis because each vice corresponds to sins the Bible condemns; however, the authority for Christian doctrine and ethics rests in Scripture, not in later ecclesiastical lists. The entry should therefore be understood as a historical moral framework rather than as a formal biblical category.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Scripture repeatedly condemns the sins represented in the list, but it does not present one inspired passage that groups them together as the Seven Deadly Sins. The category is a later summary tool for tracing recurring patterns of sin.",
  "background_historical_context": "The list developed in early Christian moral teaching and became widely used in later Christian catechesis, preaching, and devotional writing. It functions as a traditional taxonomy of vice rather than as a biblical canon within Scripture itself.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "Jewish Scripture and later Jewish moral reflection strongly condemn the underlying sins, but Second Temple and rabbinic sources do not supply this exact sevenfold Christian catalog. The concept should therefore be treated as a Christian moral tradition built on biblical ethics.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Proverbs 6:16-19",
    "Galatians 5:19-21",
    "Colossians 3:5-8",
    "Mark 7:21-23"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Romans 1:29-31",
    "James 3:14-16",
    "Ephesians 5:3-7",
    "1 John 2:15-17"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "The label \"Seven Deadly Sins\" is an English and later Christian traditional term. No single Hebrew or Greek phrase names this exact sevenfold list, though the Bible uses many terms for sin, desire, envy, wrath, greed, and fleshly behavior.",
  "theological_significance": "The concept is useful because it names recurring patterns of sin that Scripture condemns and that often generate many other sins. It can aid repentance, self-examination, and pastoral instruction when kept under biblical authority.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "As a moral taxonomy, the Seven Deadly Sins helps organize recurring forms of disordered desire and conduct. It is a heuristic for ethical analysis, not a replacement for revelation or a complete account of human wrongdoing.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not treat the sevenfold list as though it were itself a direct biblical canon of sins. It is a helpful traditional summary, but it is not exhaustive and should never outrank Scripture or imply that only these seven sins matter.",
  "major_views_note": "Christians generally agree that the underlying sins are biblically condemned, while differing on how much weight to give the traditional sevenfold catalog as a teaching tool.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "The list may be used for instruction, repentance, and discipleship, but Christian doctrine must be derived from Scripture. The category should not be presented as inspired, exhaustive, or equal in authority to the biblical text.",
  "practical_significance": "This term helps readers identify common patterns of moral failure and examine the heart, not merely outward behavior. It remains useful in preaching, counseling, and personal holiness when handled biblically.",
  "meta_description": "Traditional Christian list of seven major vices used for moral reflection; Scripture condemns the sins, though not as one biblical sevenfold list.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/seven-deadly-sins/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/seven-deadly-sins.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}