Gateway Virtues and Capital Sins

The Early Saints of the desert saw that growth in the Christian life can be impeded by seven (or eight) primary sins that were capable of killings one’s spiritual life. The tradition has called these the deadly or capital sins. The Desert and Patristic Saints therefore focused on the traits of character, known as the Gateway virtues (charity and its supporting moral virtues), that Christians are called to develop if they wish to grow in the Christian life. This course will thus study those virtues and vices.