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Summa Theologiae · I-II, q. 72

Question 72. Of the Distinction of Sins

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, First Part of the Second Part. 9 articles.

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Text: Summa Theologiae, Project Gutenberg #17897, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), translated by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province. The First Part of the Second Part of the Summa in the English Dominican translation (first printed 1911 to 1925; second and revised edition from 1920). A sample check on 2026-11-09 against pre-1931 printings at the Internet Archive (first printings of 1915 and 1916 and the second and revised edition of the 1920s) found that the article text matches, with no 1947 introduction, synopsis, or index. The phrase “From the Complete American Edition” in Gutenberg's catalog title is a provenance note only. Question and article numbers were added by the transcriber. Rights: Public domain (US)

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We must now consider the distinction of sins or vices: under which head there are nine points of inquiry:

(1) Whether sins are distinguished specifically by their objects?

(2) Of the distinction between spiritual and carnal sins;

(3) Whether sins differ in reference to their causes?

(4) Whether they differ with respect to those who are sinned against?

(5) Whether sins differ in relation to the debt of punishment?

(6) Whether they differ in regard to omission and commission?

(7) Whether they differ according to their various stages?

(8) Whether they differ in respect of excess and deficiency?

(9) Whether they differ according to their various circumstances?

Articles

  1. Whether Sins Differ in Species According to Their Objects?
  2. Whether Spiritual Sins Are Fittingly Distinguished from Carnal Sins?
  3. Whether Sins Differ Specifically in Reference to Their Causes?
  4. Whether Sin Is Fittingly Divided into Sin Against God, Against Oneself, and Against One's Neighbor?
  5. Whether the Division of Sins According to Their Debt of Punishment Diversifies Their Species?
  6. Whether Sins of Commission and Omission Differ Specifically?
  7. Whether Sins Are Fittingly Divided into Sins of Thought, Word, and Deed?
  8. Whether Excess and Deficiency Diversify the Species of Sins?
  9. Whether Sins Differ Specifically in Respect of Different Circumstances?

Also online, linked only: the same translation at New Advent and the Latin text at Corpus Thomisticum. Neither is copied here.

Source: Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part. Project Gutenberg #17897. Project Gutenberg record. Public domain in the USA. Outside the U.S., check local copyright rules. Project Gutenberg notices retained. The full Project Gutenberg license is kept in the hosted text.