In A History of Sin, John Portmann argues that especially since 9/11, the reality of sin has made a strong comeback, and he believes that even liberal Christians, who have downplayed the notion of sin, have to take the fact of personal evildoing seriously. Starting in the present, Portmann then loops back into the past to outline the key moments in the history of sin from the ancient Greeks and Israelites through Jesus and Paul to Augustine and Dante and on up to the present. A History of Sin reveals how some kinds of sin, such as usury, have faded or undergone radical transformation, and how other activities, such as slavery, polygamy, gender inequality, etc., have come to be regarded as sinful. In this highly readable volume, Portmann examines how our changing understanding of sin impacts today's society.

"The terror and trauma of 9/11 raised questions about the reality of evil and the notion of sin, concepts that had all but faded from public discourse at the opening of the 21st century. In this informative, readable survey, Portmann traces the evolution of sin from the present to the past. . . . Recommended without reservation for both academic and public libraries." - Library Journal