Seven : The Deadly Sins and the Beatitudes
by Jeff
Cook
Reviewed by Dale Lewis
"...creatively links the seven deadly sins with the [eight] beatitudes in a manner I hadn’t seen or experienced."
I’m 95% confident that most people could name the seven deadly sins
and even boast of not being tempted by at least three of them. Recalling
the eight Beatitudes alone without any explanation would be an entirely
different story . . . even in the foyer of a church. Jeff Cook, in Seven:
The Deadly Sins and the Beatitudes, creatively links the seven deadly sins
with the [eight] beatitudes in a manner I hadn’t seen or experienced.
He has a non-academic approach and yet he doesn’t dumb down the depth
of his theological insights to make his point.
Seven is build around this premise, "The deadly sins and the Beatitudes
are two realities, each vying for our affection. The Beatitudes reveal
the tenor of heaven; the deadly sins are the methods of hell. Both call
us to serve them, to eat their fruit, to enjoy, and believe. But only one
draws us into reality. Only one promotes life. And only one will make us
happy."
This philosophy professor's first book sheds a light on the blessings that
fill our souls and the ways we’re emptied by the big seven deadly
sins. His writing style is relaxed while informed. His thoughts are easily
understood by the less-scholarly minded reader. The pull quotes are solid
and the stories shared are exceptional! It is certainly a book bathed in
scripture.
Summing up the deadly sins he writes, "Jesus showed in his teachings
and parables, those who serve pride will be left alone. Those who serve
the fires of lust and wrath will burn up in their flames. Those who serve
envy and sloth will experience a dark exile. Those who serve greed will
lose their very lives. And those who serve gluttony will starve for the
only life there is. In each case, the fruit of sin is spoken of by Jesus
as fire and darkness, death and solitude. Those committed to the nothingness
to the nothingness go."
His concluding chapter, “The Story God Loves,” ties up all
the loose ends sweetly and solidifies his premise for writing Seven: The
Deadly Sins and the Beatitudes. It is filled with both with encouragement
and exhortation.
“
Notes, Discussion and Resources” at the end of the book is a worthy
section for the reader to dive in deeper if so desired. This is information
you shouldn’t skim through with a quick glance. Study questions are
provided in the back of the book.
I’d highly recommend this book for individual reading as well as
small group study, whether in a church or college setting.
