Concupiscence

St. Augustine explored and used the term "concupiscence" to refer to sinful lust.

Concupiscence (from Late Latin concupīscentia, from the Latin verb concupīscere, from con-, "with", here an intensifier, + cupere, "to desire" + -scere, a verb-forming suffix denoting beginning of a process or state) is an ardent longing, typically one that is sensual.[1] In Christianity, particularly in Catholic and Lutheran theology, concupiscence is the tendency of humans to sin.[2][3]

There are nine occurrences of concupiscence in the Douay-Rheims Bible[4] and three occurrences in the King James Bible.[5] It is also one of the English translations of the Koine Greek epithumia (ἐπιθυμία),[6] which occurs 39 times in the New Testament.[7]

Involuntary sexual arousal is explored in the Confessions of Augustine, wherein he used the term "concupiscence" to refer to sinful lust.[8]

  1. ^ "Concupiscence – Define Concupiscence at Dictionary.com". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  2. ^ Malloy, Christopher J. (2005). Engrafted Into Christ: A Critique of the Joint Declaration. Peter Lang. p. 279. ISBN 978-0-8204-7408-3. The Annex offers the following description of the Catholic notion of voluntary sin: "Sin has a personal character and as such leads to separation from God. It is the selfish desire of the old person and the lack of trust and love toward God." The Annex also offers the following as a Lutheran position: Concupiscence is understood as the self-seeking desire of the human being, which in light of the law, spiritually understood, is regarded as sin." A comparison of the two descriptions, one of sin and one of concupiscence, shows little if any difference. The Catholic definition of voluntary sin includes the following elements: selfish desire and lack of love. Those of the Lutheran conception of concupiscence are selfish desire, lack of love, and repeated idolatry—a sin which, as stated in the JD, requires daily forgiveness (JD, 29). The Catholic definition of sin appears quite similar to the Lutheran definition of concupiscence.
  3. ^ Coleman, D. (11 October 2007). Drama and the Sacraments in Sixteenth-Century England: Indelible Characters. Springer. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-230-58964-3. Trent defines concupiscence as follows: Concupiscence or a tendency to sin remains [after baptism, but] the catholic church has never understood it to be called sin in the sense of being truly and properly such in those who have been regenerated, but in the sense that it is a result of sin and inclines to sin (667*).
  4. ^ Wisdom 4:12, Romans 7:7, Romans 7:8, Colossians 3:5, Epistle of James 1:14, James 1:15, 2 Peter 1:4, and 1 John 2:17.
  5. ^ Romans 7:8, Colossians 3:5 and I Thessalonians 4:5.
  6. ^ "epithumia" is also translated as wish or desire (or in a biblical context, longing, lust, passion, covetousness, or impulse). See wikt:επιθυμία.
  7. ^ Matthew 5:29–30, Mark 4:19, Luke 22:15, John 8:44, Romans 1:24, Romans 6:12, Romans 7:7,8, Romans 13:14, Galatians 5:16,24, Ephesians 2:3, Ephesians 4:22, Philippians 1:23, Colossians 3:5, 1Thessalonians 2:17, 1Thessalonians 4:5, 1Timothy 6:9, 2Timothy 2:22, 2Timothy 3:6, 2Timothy 4:3, Titus 2:12, Titus 3:3, James 1:14,15, 1Peter 1:14, 1Peter 2:11, 1Peter 4:2,3, 2Peter 1:4, 2Peter 2:10,18, 2Peter 3:3, 1John 2:16(twice),17, Jude 1:16,18, and Revelation 18:14.
  8. ^ Greenblatt, Stephen (June 19, 2017). "How St. Augustine Invented Sex". The New Yorker.