Editing Anger (section)

===Christianity===
Both [[Catholic]] and [[Protestantism|Protestant]] writers have addressed anger in different perspectives. Anger among mortals is typically seen as a sin, though this contrasts against the righteous [[Divine retribution|wrath of God]].

====Catholic====
[[File:Boschsevendeadlysins.jpg|thumb|''[[The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things]]'', by [[Hieronymus Bosch]] (1485). "Wrath" is depicted at the bottom in a series of circular images. Below the image is the [[Latin]] inscription ''Cave Cave Deus Videt'' ("Beware, Beware, God is Watching").]]
[[File:Rage-and-anger-fresco.jpg|thumb|[[Angel]] with [[Temperance (virtue)|Temperance]] and [[Humility]] [[virtue]]s versus [[Devil]] with [[Rage (emotion)|Rage]] and Wrath [[sins]]. A fresco from the 1717 Saint Nicholas [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox church]] in Cukovets, [[Pernik Province]], [[Bulgaria]]]]

''Wrath'' is one of the [[Seven Deadly Sins]] in Catholicism; and yet the [[Catechism of the Catholic Church]] states (canons 1772 and 1773) that anger is among the passions, and that "in the passions, as movements of the sensitive appetite, there is neither good nor evil". The neutral act of anger becomes the sin of wrath when it is directed against an innocent person, when it is unduly unbending or long-lasting, or when it desires excessive punishment. "If anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin" (CCC 2302). Hatred is the sin of desiring that someone else may suffer misfortune or evil, and is a mortal sin when one desires grave harm (CCC 2302-03).

[[Christianity in the Middle Ages|Medieval Christianity]] vigorously denounced wrath as one of the seven cardinal, or deadly sins, but some Christian writers at times regarded the anger caused by injustice as having some value.<ref name="Ethics"/><ref name="AngerTheory">Simon Kemp, K.T. Strongman, ''Anger theory and management: A historical analysis'', The American Journal of Psychology, Vol. 108, No. 3. (Autumn, 1995), pp. 397–417</ref> [[Basil of Caesarea|Saint Basil]] viewed anger as a "reprehensible temporary madness".<ref name="Ethics"/> Joseph F. Delany in the [[Catholic Encyclopedia]] (1914) defines anger as "the desire of vengeance" and states that a reasonable vengeance and passion is ethical and praiseworthy. Vengeance is sinful when it exceeds its limits in which case it becomes opposed to justice and charity. For example, "vengeance upon one who has not deserved it, or to a greater extent than it has been deserved, or in conflict with the dispositions of law, or from an improper motive" are all sinful. An unduly vehement vengeance is considered a [[venial sin]] unless it seriously goes counter to the love of [[God in Christianity|God]] or of one's neighbor.<ref>{{cite CE1913|wstitle=Anger}}</ref>

A more positive view of anger is espoused by Roman Catholic pastoral theologian [[Henri Nouwen|Henri J.M. Nouwen]]. Father Nouwen points to the spiritual benefits in anger toward God as found in both the [[Old Testament]] and [[New Testament]] of the [[Bible]]. In the Bible, says Father Nouwen, "it is clear that only by expressing our anger and hatred directly to God will we come to know the fullness of both his love and our freedom".<ref>Henri J.M. Nouwen, "Forward" in ''May I Hate God?'' Pierre Wolff, 2 (Paulist Press, 1979).</ref>

[[Georges Bernanos]] illustrates Nouwen's position in his novel ''The Diary of a Country Priest''. The countess gave birth to the son she had long wanted, but the child died. She was fiercely angry. When the priest called, the countess vented her anger toward her daughter and husband, then at the priest who responded gently, "open your heart to [God]". The countess rejoined, "I've ceased to bother about God. When you've forced me to admit that I [[hate]] Him, will you be any better off?" The priest continued, "you no longer hate Him. Hate is indifference and contempt. Now at last you're face to face with Him{{nbsp}}... Shake your fist at Him, spit in His face, scourge Him." The countess did what the priest counseled. By confessing her hate, she was enabled to say, "all's well".<ref>Georges Bernanos, ''The Diary of a Country Priest'' (London: Fontana Books, 1956), 126–150 passim.</ref>

====Protestant====
[[File:Schnorr von Carolsfeld Bibel in Bildern 1860 093.png|thumb|right|''Saul attacks David'' (who had been playing music to help Saul feel better), 1860 woodcut by [[Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld]], a Lutheran]]
Everyone experiences anger, Andrew D. Lester observes, and furthermore anger can serve as "a spiritual friend, a spiritual guide, and a spiritual ally". Denying and suppressing anger is contrary to [[Paul the Apostle|St. Paul's]] admonition in his [[Epistle to the Ephesians]] 4:26.<ref>{{cite web |first=Andrew D. |last=Lester |title=Anger: Discovering Your Spiritual Ally – (Westminster John Knox, 2007) |pages=11–12 |url=http://www.acpe.edu/NewPDF/Andy%20Lester%20Tribute.pdf |publisher=Acpe.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017044703/http://www.acpe.edu/NewPDF/Andy%20Lester%20Tribute.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-17 }}</ref> When anger toward God is denied and suppressed, it interferes with an individual's relation with God. Expressing one's anger toward God can deepen the relationship.<ref>{{cite web |first=Andrew D. |last=Lester |title=Coping with Your Anger: A Christian Guide – (Westminster John Knox, 1983) |pages=92–94 |url=http://www.acpe.edu/NewPDF/Andy%20Lester%20Tribute.pdf |publisher=Acpe.edu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017044703/http://www.acpe.edu/NewPDF/Andy%20Lester%20Tribute.pdf |archive-date=2013-10-17 }}</ref> [[C. FitzSimons Allison]] holds that "we worship God by expressing our honest anger at him".<ref>C. FitzSimons Allison, Guilt, Anger, and God (Regent College Publishing, 2003. 1st published by Seabury Press, 1972), 88.</ref>

[[Bible|Biblical]] scholar Leonard Pine concludes from his studies in the [[Book of Habakkuk]] that "far from being a sin, proper remonstration with God is the activity of a healthy faith relationship with Him".<ref>{{cite journal |first=Leonard |last=Pine |title=Remonstrating with God in Adversity: A Study in Habakkuk |journal=WRS |volume=3:1 (February 1996) 21–26 |url=http://www.wrs.edu/about/faculty-and-staff/ |access-date=2013-10-16 |archive-date=2013-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131201085824/http://www.wrs.edu/about/faculty-and-staff/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Other biblical examples of anger toward God include the following:<ref>[[New Revised Standard Version]]</ref>
* [[Moses]] was angry with God for mistreating his people: "Lord, why have you mistreated [''lit.'' done evil to] this people?" ([[Book of Exodus]] 5:22).
* [[Naomi (Bible)|Naomi]] was angry with God after the death of her husband and two sons: "The Almighty has dealt bitterly with me. The Almighty has brought calamity upon me" ([[Book of Ruth]] 1:20–21 ''abr'').
* [[Elijah]] was angry with God after the son of the widow died: "O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?" ([[Books of Kings|1 Kings]] 17:20).
* [[Job (biblical figure)|Job]] was angry with God: "You have turned cruel to me; with the might of your hand you persecute me" ([[Book of Job]] 30:21).
* [[Jeremiah]] was angry with God for deceiving his people: "Ah, Lord God, how utterly you have deceived this people and Jerusalem" ([[Book of Jeremiah]] 4:10).