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A Topic of Moral Theology

Internal Causes of Sin

The causes of sin within the man himself: ignorance, passion and malice.

The works themselves ask 6 questions under this heading — see them together with their answers.

Also asked about as…

ignorance passion and malice as causes of sin · where sin comes from inside us · why do we sin (ed.)

In the index as Cause · Sin · Ignorance · Malice · Effect · Voluntary · Concupiscence · Guilt · Lust · Permission · Pollution · Sins · Affected ignorance · Election · Envy · Error · Form · Holy Spirit · Human Act · Impenitence · Inadvertence · Infirmity · Love · Material Sin

In the manuals

Read the manuals side by side → — each work's whole treatment in its own column

Manual of Moral Theology (Manuale Theologiae Moralis)

Ludovicus Wouters, C.SS.R. — 5 passages

Vol. I, Bk. I, Tr. II, Diss. II, Pt. II, Sect. III, Ch. I, Art. III, § II. On Internal Causes, nn. ¶1, 261, 262, 263 & 264 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

Moral Theology: A Complete Course (McHugh & Callan)

John A. McHugh, O.P., and Charles J. Callan, O.P. — 6 passages

Vol. I, Pt. I, Q. II, Art. 3. Bad Habits, or Vices, The Causes of Sin, nn. 246, 247, 248, 249, 250 & 251 (6 passages — hover a number to read it)

Institutions of Moral Theology (Institutiones Theologiae Moralis)

Gennaro Bucceroni, S.J. — 7 passages

Vol. I, On Human Acts, I. On the Nature of the Human Act, nn. 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 & 40 (7 passages — hover a number to read it)

Manuale Theologiae Moralis

Dominic M. Prümmer, O.P. — 3 passages

Vol. I, Pt. I, Tract V. On Sins In General, Ch. V, Article I. On the Causes of Sins in General, nn. 382, 383 & 384 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Summa Theologiae Moralis

Benedict Henry Merkelbach, O.P. — 55 passages

Vol. I, General Moral Theology, Treatise: On Sins in General, Second Part: On the Causes…, First Question: On the Interior Causes of Sin, nn. ¶1, 461, 462 & 463 (11 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, General Moral Theology, Treatise: On Sins in General, Second Part: On the Causes…, First Question: On the Int…, Article I: On Ignorance as a Cause of Sin on the Part of Reason — On Sins of Ignorance, nn. ¶1, 464, 465 & 466 (17 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, General Moral Theology, Treatise: On Sins in General, Second Part: On the Causes…, First Question: On the Int…, Article II: On Passion as a Cause of Sin on the Part of the Sensitive Appetite — On Sins of Infirmity, nn. ¶1, 467, 468, 469 & 470 (14 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, General Moral Theology, Treatise: On Sins in General, Second Part: On the Causes…, First Question: On the Int…, Article III: On Malice as a Cause of Sin on the Part of the Will — On Sins of Malice, nn. ¶1, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476 & 477 (13 passages — hover a number to read it)

Summa Summae S. Thomae (Billuart)

Charles-René Billuart, O.P. — 17 passages

Billuart, Summa Summae, Tomus II. On the Prima Sec…, On Sins, On the Causes of Sins, Whether, and what, ignorance is a cause of sin, and is itself a sin?, nn. 1–17 (17 passages)

Treated under the broader heading The Causes of Sin — Tanquerey — this work does not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so its treatment stands one heading up (ed.)