This volume looks at the history of the idea of sin as it has influenced and shaped Western culture. Emphasis is placed on an inter- and cross-disciplinary approach.

The word sin has come to transcend the theological and enter the common parlance in both media and society. This book is an examination of that idea. It discusses how the concept of sin evolved through the Middle Ages and into the modern era. From religion to politics and from the bedroom to the boardroom, a more complete understanding of the history of sin will assist the modern reader in a wide variety of fields.

This book builds on the work of Gregory the Great to explain each of the so-called seven deadly sins: pride, lust, anger, gluttony, avarice, envy, and sloth. Each chapter provides a close look at the origins and history of that individual sin, concluding with a section on contemporary applications of the idea and a case study. The central argument is that the concept of sin has been integral to the development of Western society, including not only political and religious history but also in extensive aspects of popular culture in the twenty-first century. The broader but significant issue of intention versus action permeates the study.

Connects philosophical and religious concepts from the Middle Ages to the modern era

Shows how the seven deadly sins are reflected in contemporary and popular culture

Gives readers an overview of the seven deadly sins in accessible language

Looks at the significant changes in the Western view of sin from Gregory the Great to Pope Francis’s theology of sin to the media’s condemnation of minor transgressions as sins