The medieval sin of acedia or sloth, like the contemporary symptom of avolition, is typically seen as bad. But this is not always necessarily so. Skip to main content Mobile Navigation.

The ancient term ‘acedia’ describes the paradoxical combination of jangling nerves and vague lack of purpose many of us are feeling now. Reviving the label might help.

Many will now be forced, because of the lack of diversion, to experience acedia, perhaps in a way they haven't before. Norris' book on the subject wrestled with its definition.

What is acedia, and why does this priest tweet about it so much. Friday, July 04, 2025. A service of EWTN News. CNA ACI Prensa ACI Stampa ACI Digital ACI Africa ACI Afrique ACI Mena ...

In "Acedia and Me: A Marriage, Monks and a Writer's Life," author Kathleen Norris discusses her acquaintance with acedia, a malaise of the spirit that suffocates a satisfying emotional and ...

Acedia is negative in its own way, but it is a negativity of absence. If we want to find a synonym for acedia in the contemporary psychological lexicon, I think a better candidate may be avolition.

Among these, acedia was considered the most insidious.It attacked only after monks had conquered the sins of gluttony, fornication, avarice, sadness, anger, vainglory, and pride.