Multiplication of sins

The Holy See has added seven new sins to the list of seven “traditional” mortal sins. “The sins of our time have a social resonance, as well as an individual one. The reason for this is the great phenomenon of globalization. Now more than ever it is important to pay attention to our sins, because their consequences will be greater and more destructive than before,” Bishop Gianfranco Girotti said in an interview the official Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, which recently published a new list. Now genetic engineering, experiments on humans, environmental pollution, social injustice, poverty, immoderate enrichment and drug use have been added to the mortal sins.

The old list of the seven deadly sins - despondency, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, anger and pride - was compiled in the 6th century by Pope Gregory the Great, but has since been repeatedly criticized by theologians. In the 17th century, despondency in this list was replaced by laziness.

Each of the seven deadly sins also corresponds to one of the virtues - chastity, abstinence, restraint in food, diligence, patience, kindness and humility.

The Russian Church is not sure about the need to compile lists. “Orthodoxy approaches the concept of sin rather from a spiritual, theological and pastoral point of view, which does not imply any strict systematization and regulation of this concept,” priest Igor Vyzhanov, head of the secretariat for inter-Christian relations of the DECR MP, told Interfax. "In the spiritual practice of Orthodoxy, of course, every sin has its own name and place. But when we talk about sin, most often we are talking about the soul of a particular person, where there are a lot of different shades and transitional states that are hardly possible to fully embrace in any way." list,” the agency’s interlocutor continued.

Father Igor noted that “an attempt to describe everything point by point and put it on shelves” is rather a characteristic of Western Christianity. However, he emphasized, this does not mean at all that Orthodoxy is indifferent to political and social realities, “this is not the case at all.” “When talking about socio-political problems, it is necessary to remember that societies and states also consist of specific people who make one or another moral choice,” the priest said.