Is your appetite a virtue or a vice? The ancient history of gluttony.

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Gluttony is more than just overeating; in Roman Catholic theology, it is one of the seven deadly sins. Defined as excess beyond reason, it is viewed as a gateway to further immoral behavior. From medieval theologians to modern popes, the focus remains on the danger of prioritizing physical pleasure over temperance.

The concept of gluttony as a deadly sin was first enumerated by Pope Gregory I in the 6th century and later expanded by St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century. Aquinas identified five specific ways this sin manifests: eating too rapidly, choosing expensive fare over moderate options, consuming excessive quantities, eating with greedy eagerness, and focusing too daintily on food preparation. For these thinkers, the fault lies not in the food itself, but in the inordinate desire and attachment to sensual pleasure.

Religious traditions have long warned against the consequences of such behavior. The Bible links gluttony to poverty and moral decay, while Dante’s 14th-century Inferno famously depicts gluttons suffering in the third circle of hell, guarded by the beast Cerberus. Beyond the theological framework, the sin is often associated with a broader lack of self-control. St. Paul even likened gluttony to idolatry, suggesting that for some, the stomach becomes a god that occupies the mind with earthly things.

In the modern era, the critique of gluttony has evolved to address global issues. Pope Francis has frequently referenced the sin in his commentary on world hunger, food waste, and the obesity epidemic. He argues that food is increasingly turning from a means of subsistence into an avenue of personal destruction. By promoting virtues like temperance, moderation, and solidarity, religious leaders aim to combat what they view as a culture of materialism that ignores the needs of the poor and needy.

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