Sin in Medieval and Early Modern Culture: The Tradition of the Seven Deadly Sins, ed. Richard G. Newhauser and Susan J. Ridyard
Eric Josef Carlson
This book presents scholarship from both a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar and Sewanee Medieval Colloquium. It begins with Richard Newhauser’s superb overview of recent on seven deadly sins, in which he contextualises essays this volume points to areas need additional research. Seven follow, grouped together their focus religious, intellectual, pastoral themes. According James Williams, Carolingians understood acedia not its original sense spiritual burn-out but as failing do manual work, makes Benedict Aniane’s monastic reforms. Kiril Petkov explores changing meanings arrogance, branch pride. For Carolingians, it was political vice obstructed desire centralisation, by 1200s, sin reflective growing anxiety about social mobility. Cate Gunn’s close reading manuscript treatise Vices Virtues demonstrates that interest guidance preparation confession England predated Fourth Lateran Council. In her marvellous contribution, Eileen Sweeney lays out Thomas Aquinas’ distinctive approach sins Summa theologiae. Aquinas rejected vision concept emerged. Vice matter disordered affections, struggle supernatural evil force; moderation, asceticism, remedy. Jean Gerson, according Nancy McLoughlin, were used court sermons make well arguments. A different preaching is evident Good Friday sermon 1430s discussed Holly Johnson. it, preacher parallels torments Jesus experienced diseases cures, while also making Passion immediate his auditors so they would appreciate relevance lives. Newhauser wraps up section critique Morton Bloomfield’s John Bossy’s influential arguments tradition essentially ended middle ages. Looking at some English evidence, shows being religious polemic criticism even 1600s, argues appearance stage suggests taste morality plays continued age Shakespeare.
The English Historical Review