Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies Book

Contemporary culture trivializes the "seven deadly sins," or vices, as if they have no serious moral or spiritual implications. Glittering Vices clears this misconception by exploring the traditional meanings of gluttony, sloth, lust, and others. It offers a brief history of how the vices were compiled and an eye-opening explication of how each sin manifests itself in various destructive behaviors. Readers gain practical understanding of how the vices shape our culture today and how to correctly identify and eliminate the deeply rooted patterns of sin that are work in their own lives. This accessible book is essential for any reader interested in spiritual disciplines and character formation.

EXCERPT

Very simply, a virtue (or vice) is acquired through practice--repeated activity that increases our proficiency at the activity and gradually forms our character. . . . We often need external incentives and sanctions to get us through the initial stages of the process, when our old, entrenched desires still pull us toward the opposite behavior. But with encouragement, discipline, and often a role model or mentor, practice can make things feel more natural and enjoyable as we gradually develop the internal values and desires corresponding to our outward behavior. Virtue often develops, that is, from the outside-in. This is why, when we want to re-form our character from vice to virtue, we often need to practice and persevere in regular spiritual disciplines and formational practices for a lengthy period of time.

Graham Christian - Library Journal

Two new books look seriously at the Christian vices and virtues. Ellingsen's only jestingly invokes sin; this work, by the author of When Did Jesus Become Republican? and Reclaiming Our Roots, is a thoughtful and well-articulated attempt to retrieve the Evangelical movement of Christianity from the ethos of Rick Warren and The Purpose-Driven Life, as well as the "Gospel of Prosperity," freeing oneself by surrendering one's will to God. It should be helpful to many readers. DeYoung (philosophy, Calvin Coll.), who penned the "Seven Deadly Sins" article in the Encyclopedia of Christianity, offers a serious, scripturally based revisitation of the perils conservative Christians face from the traditional deadly sins. Ellingsen is recommended for most collections; DeYoung will be suitable for many as well.