Schimmel maintains that psychology and psychotherapists must incorporate
many of the ethical and spiritual values of religion and moral philosophy if
they are to address the emotional problems faced by modern man. A new edition
of SEVEN DEADLY SINS: JEWISH, CLASSICAL AND CHRISTIAN REFLECTIONS ON HUMAN
NATURE, published by Free Press in 1992.All of us are engaged in a personal, ongoing battle with sin and vice. The
seven deadly sins - lust, greed, envy, anger, pride, gluttony, and sloth - are
our main antagonists in this struggle. They are primary causes of unhappiness
and immorality, and because of their pervasive nature, have been of perennial
interest to religious thinkers, philosophers, dramatists, and poets.; In The Seven Deadly Sins, Solomon Schimmel explains why psychology must
incorporate many of the ethical and spiritual values of religion and moral
philosophy if it is to effectively address the emotional problems faced by
modern men and women, be they believers or agnostics. Drawing on the
psychological insights of the Bible, Aristotle, Maimonides, Aquinas, and
Shakespeare, among others, he shows how all of us can learn from them about the
relationship between virtue and psychological well-being and vice and emotional
distress. This insightful and fascinating work guides us to master our passions
rather than be enslaved by them so that we can become more humane and build a
happier, caring society.
