It has long been believed that there are seven sins from which all other sins grow and the idea of cardinal virtues is an exceedingly old one. But can you name them? Modern-day Christians would benefit from knowing what has been for centuries viewed as foundational and essential. We folk of the twentieth century may be more moralistic than were medieval people, in the sense that we fret more about morality, but men and women of the Middle Ages had better moral habits. In medieval times, the seven cardinal virtues were known to everyone, while nowadays it is a rare university student who can name the seven.

Why are the writings of old philosophers so up-to-date? Because they took their bearings not from the date (nothing is so surely and quickly dated as the up-to-date) but from the unchanging essence of man, the inherent structure of the soul. These writings are relevant to man in every age because they are relevant to man himself, not to the age. They fit our nature and our nature’s needs. The seven deadly sins serve as warnings to those following Christ along the path of life---for it is these sins and those that stem from them that often led us astray. In the same way, the acts of cultivating the seven cardinal virtues build Christlike character and lead to a life that is pleasing to God.

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