Stuff You Should Know

Short Stuff: The S7VEN Deadly Sins

January 21, 2026

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  • The concept of the Seven Deadly Sins does not actually appear in the Bible, despite its strong association with Christianity. 
  • The original list of vices was compiled by the monk Evagrius Ponticus around 345 CE as eight 'evil thoughts' specifically intended as a guide for monks to avoid. 
  • The list evolved over centuries, notably being trimmed from eight to seven by Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great), and later adapted in the medieval era, often visualized as the 'Tree of Vices' to aid in annual confession. 

Segments

Pop Culture References
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(00:01:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The Seven Deadly Sins are widely known in pop culture, including interpretations in media like the movie Seven and fan theories about Gilligan’s Island characters.
  • Summary: The hosts mention the widespread recognition of the Seven Deadly Sins, citing the movie Seven and a fan theory mapping the Gilligan’s Island cast to the sins. This fan theory assigns Pride to the Professor, Wrath to the Skipper, Lust to Ginger, Greed to Mr. Howell, Gluttony to Mrs. Howell, Envy to Mary Ann, and Sloth to Gilligan. This illustrates the concept’s deep penetration into popular culture.
Origin and Early Names
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(00:02:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The list was originally an expanded set of eight vices, known by various names like ‘capital vices’ or ‘vice sins,’ before being trimmed down.
  • Summary: The list was not always seven sins; it started as eight, having been called capital vices or cardinal sins. Early iterations included terms like ‘Vainglory’ instead of Pride and ‘melancholy’ instead of Sloth. This list’s association with Catholicism is strong, but it does not appear in the Bible.
Evagrius Ponticus’s Eight Thoughts
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(00:05:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Evagrius Ponticus, a monk in 345 CE, is credited with first writing down the eight evil thoughts in his work, the Antireticus.
  • Summary: Evagrius Ponticus, who lived ascetically in the Egyptian desert, authored the Antireticus, which first documented the eight evil thoughts. His original list included gluttony, lust (defined as worldly desires), avarice (greed), anger, sloth, sadness, vainglory, and pride. This initial list was specifically intended as a guide for monks to avoid unholy thoughts.
Gregory I’s Seven Principal Vices
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(00:09:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) adapted the eight thoughts into his list of seven principal vices in his influential work, Moralia in Job.
  • Summary: Pope Gregory I laid out his seven principal vices in Moralia in Job, which included vainglory, envy, anger, melancholy, avarice, gluttony, and lust. During the medieval era, writers like Thomas Aquinas popularized the concept, often using the ‘Tree of Vices’ icon in churches. These sins were considered ‘deadly’ because they imperiled the mortal soul, leading to hell if not confessed.
Modern Catholic Sins Update
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(00:12:51)
  • Key Takeaway: In 2008, the Catholic Church updated the concept by proposing seven modern deadly sins related to contemporary ethical issues.
  • Summary: The Catholic Church proposed a modern list of seven deadly sins in 2008 to address contemporary concerns. These modern sins include genetic modification, polluting the environment, causing social injustice, causing poverty, becoming obscenely wealthy, carrying out experiments on humans, and taking drugs. This shows an effort to update the ancient framework to modern moral challenges.