VENIAL SIN (Lat. veniale, pardonable, from venia, pardon), a term used, chiefly in Roman Catholic theology, to denote the less heinous class of offenses against the law of God. Roman Catholic divines infer from many passages of Scripture that there are various grades of guilt in the culpable actions of man, and that these varieties of guilt involve a corresponding variation in the liability to punishment which is thereby entailed. Lowest in the scale of imputability is the class of offenses known as venial, and by this name distinguished from those which are called mortal. Much difference of opinion exists even among Catholics themselves as to the nature and origin of this distinction. Some ancient writers explained mortal sins as being offenses against a precept, whereas venial sins are but violations of a counsel. This explanation, however, is now universally rejected; and it is held that sin, of its very essence, whether mortal or venial, supposes the violation of a kw or precept. Another explanation of the difference declares mortal sin to be that which deprives the soul of sanctifying grace: whereas venial sin only weakens and diminishes, but does not utterly extinguish sanctifying grace in the soul.
This Is an explanation, however, rather of the effect than of the nature of venial sin; and the more received opinion is that of St. Thomas Aquinas, who explains mortal sin to be that which of itself subverts the end of the law; whereas venial sin but diverts it in a greater or less degree from that to which God intended that it should be directed. Catholics, while insisting on this distinction, are careful to explain that venial sin, although absolutely pardonable, is not to be supposed to be easily pardonable. They hold that it is of its own nature a great " deordinatiou," and that it may and does entail a heavy liability to punishment, although not to the eternal punishment of hell, which is reserved for mortal sin. Sins may be venial either objectively or, subjectively; objec tively, when the " object" of the law, or what is technically called the " matter" of the sin, is light or trivial; as in the case of a petty theft, a slight departure from truth, or a passing ebullition of impatienee or anger; subjectively, when, even though the " matter" or " object" is grave, there is hut imperfect advertence, or not full consent, ou the part of the subject or agent; as in the case even of a grievous injury done without full knowledge or intention on the part of the agent, or without full awl deliberate consent. The degree
of culpability in each case is supposed to depend on the objective or subjective qualifica tion of the act. Catholics hold that persousAying in a state of venial sin are not excluded forever from heaven; but that, since nothing unholy, even though in a minor degree, can approach God, the soul departing from life so stained with venial sill, is compelled to undergo a purification in purgatory (q.v.), which they conceive to he of greater or less severity and duration according to the degree of culpability, Some of these writers teach that even venial sins involve punishment of extreme severity; and all expressly declare that it is never lawful, under any circumstances, to commit the smallest venial sin, even for the purpose of compassing a good and holy object.
Protestants reject the whole doctrine of mortal and Denial sins. They regard all sins as, in one sense, mortal, i.e., as exposing the sinner to "the wrath and curse of God, both in this world and that which is to come ;" but all sins of the believer are expiated by the blood of Christ, so that there remains no penalty to be paid, either by penances in this world, or by sufferings after death. The very notion of venial sins appears to them to make light of the law of God, while that of the expiation of venial sins by the suffer ings of the sinner himself, is inconsistent with their doctrine of justification, and with their views of the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ.