Seven: The Deadly Sins and the Beatitudes
The seven deadly sins and the New Testament's seven beatitudes spoken by Jesus play against each other in this philosophy professor's first book. Although both the beatitudes and the seven deadly sins are well-mined territory, the contribution of this book is the curious way they serve as foils for one another. They are two realities, each vying for our affection. Cook offers unique pairings throughout—envy and the mourner, gluttony and the persecuted, for example—as well as discussion that goes far beyond platitude and easy explanation. Greed isn't about money, Cook says, but about accumulation; mercy, conversely, is breathing out. Lust is a substitute for real life, while purity is about freedom. Readers will find new ways to think about sin and its summons into a dead life, as well as the beatitudes and their invitation to life. Cook overwrites occasionally, making readers decipher his meaning, but overall he creates a unique comparison between living a life of hell and living a life of heaven. Study questions are provided.(Sept.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.