Editing Concupiscence (section)

{{Short description|Human inclination to sin}}
{{essay-like|date=February 2023}}
[[File:Simone_Martini_003.jpg|thumb|St. [[Augustine]] explored and used the term "concupiscence" to refer to sinful lust.]]
{{Thomism}}
'''Concupiscence''' (from [[Late Latin]] {{lang|la|[[wikt:concupiscentia#Latin|concupīscentia]]}}, from the Latin verb {{lang|la|[[wikt:concupisco#Latin|concupīscere]]}}, from {{lang|la|[[wikt:con-|con-]]}}, "with", here an intensifier, + {{lang|la|[[wikt:cupere|cupere]]}}, "to desire" + {{lang|la|[[wikt:-sco#Latin|-scere]]}}, a verb-forming suffix denoting beginning of a process or state) is an ardent longing, typically one that is sensual.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Concupiscence&x=0&y=0|title=Concupiscence – Define Concupiscence at Dictionary.com|work=Dictionary.com|access-date=27 October 2014}}</ref> In [[Christianity]], particularly in  Catholic and Lutheran theology, concupiscence is the tendency of humans to sin.<ref name="Malloy2005">{{cite book |last1=Malloy |first1=Christopher J. |title=Engrafted Into Christ: A Critique of the Joint Declaration |date=2005 |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=978-0-8204-7408-3 |page=279 |language=English |quote=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.}}</ref><ref name="Coleman2007">{{cite book |last1=Coleman |first1=D. |title=Drama and the Sacraments in Sixteenth-Century England: Indelible Characters |date=11 October 2007 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-230-58964-3 |page=84 |language=English |quote=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*).}}</ref>

There are nine occurrences of {{lang|la|concupiscence}} in the [[Douay-Rheims Bible]]<ref>[[Book of Wisdom|Wisdom]] 4:12, [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] 7:7, Romans 7:8, [[Epistle to the Colossians|Colossians]] 3:5, [[Epistle of James]] 1:14, James 1:15, [[Second Epistle of Peter|2 Peter]] 1:4, and 1 John 2:17.
</ref> and three occurrences in the ''[[Authorized King James Version|King James Bible]]''.<ref>[[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] 7:8, [[Epistle to the Colossians|Colossians]] 3:5 and [[First Epistle to the Thessalonians|I Thessalonians]] 4:5.
</ref>  It is also one of the English translations of the [[Koine Greek]] {{lang|grc-Latn|epithumia}} (ἐπιθυμία),<ref>"{{lang|grc-Latn|epithumia}}" is also translated as wish or desire (or in a biblical context, longing, lust, passion, covetousness, or impulse).  See [[wikt:επιθυμία]].</ref> which occurs 39 times in the [[New Testament]].<ref>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.</ref>

Involuntary [[sexual arousal]] is explored in the [[Confessions (Augustine)|''Confessions'']] of [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]], wherein he used the term "concupiscence" to refer to [[Christian views on sin|sinful]] [[lust]].<ref name="NewYorker">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/19/how-st-augustine-invented-sex |title=How St. Augustine Invented Sex |first=Stephen |last=Greenblatt |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=June 19, 2017}}</ref>