THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS – Human Knowledge for the Age of Crisis

We live in an era of crisis, yet we have little idea how to escape the imperative of "more and more" or deeply change our way of life. Annette Kehnel reveals that we once understood this very clearly. She takes us on a journey to the Middle Ages, where she discovers millennia-old human wisdom still relevant today in the teachings of the seven deadly sins. Each of the sins represents a condition of our human existence: luxuria (lust) relates to moderate consumption, avaritia (greed) to the understanding that ownership and wealth must be limited; ira (anger) addresses aggression and violence, invidia (envy) the flip side of competition, and superbia (pride) our pursuit of status and power.

This presents a surprisingly modern view of humanity aiming for balance, resonance, and harmony, offering a new perspective on our times and their challenges. The traditional wisdom contained in the teachings of the deadly sins provides a path for dealing with our destructive side. Kehnel uncovers this knowledge for the present day, showing how it can help us change ourselves and the world.

"This book is a meditation on the seven deadly sins, and on what, in human psychology, drives us to destroy the planet. It is like having a long conversation with a wise friend, an interlocutor who never browbeats you but in whose company you come to see things differently. Starting with the Greeks, from whose myths the Seven Deadlies grew, Kehnel opens up the cultural landscapes of each sin, from Anger to Envy. The sin of our own age? Accedia, die Trägheit, the narrow-minded, energy-sapping alienation which stops us from doing what we need to do to save our earth. A marvellous, mind-expanding book." Lyndal Roper, Oxford