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In A History of Sin, John Portmann argues that especially since 9/11, the reality of sin has made a strong comeback, and he believes that even liberal Christians, who have downplayed the notion of sin, have to take the fact of personal evildoing seriously. Starting in the present, Portmann then loops back into the past to outline the key moments in the history of sin from the ancient Greeks and Israelites through Jesus and Paul to Augustine and Dante and on up to the present. A History of Sin reveals how some kinds of sin, such as usury, have faded or undergone radical transformation, and how other activities, such as slavery, polygamy, gender inequality, etc., have come to be regarded as sinful. In this highly readable volume, Portmann examines how our changing understanding of sin impacts today's society.
The terror and trauma of 9/11 raised questions about the reality of evil and the notion of sin, concepts that had all but faded from public discourse at the opening of the 21st century. In this informative, readable survey, Portmann (religious studies, Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville; When Bad Things Happen to Other People) traces the evolution of sin from the present to the past. He examines how the ancient Greeks, the Israelites, Jesus, Paul, Augustine, and Dante viewed sin before going on to provide an overview of "modern sins," including homophobia, racism, and drunk driving. What's more, he peers into the future of sin, or "what we as a group will accept or deny is sin's future." Portmann is well qualified to write on this topic. His important work, reminiscent of Karl Menninger's What Ever Became of Sin?and M. Scott Peck's People of the Lie, is recommended without reservation for both academic and public libraries.-C. Brian Smith, Arlington Heights Memorial Lib., IL
1 Introduction — Sin Today Chapter 2 Sin Fatigue: The Dilution and Demotion of Sin Chapter 3 Atonement Fatigue Chapter 4 Catholic Masturbation and Modern Science Chapter 5 Virginity: Almost a Sin? Chapter 6 Modern Sins Chapter 7 The Sins of Our Fathers: Paying for Affirmative Action Chapter 8 The Best We Can Do