Envy (Christianity)

is a sense of grievance, displeasure or sadness at another's good fortune, attributes and so on, and derives from pride, vanity and self-love. When the sense of grievance has some content of right or exclusive possession, then the term used is [jealousy]

, although the two words are commonly used interchangeably. In the Christian tradition it is considered a vice or sin, in that it may be the cause of many forms of malevolent behaviour. It is said that active cultivation of brotherly love is the best means of overcoming an envious disposition. There is, nevertheless, a holy kind of envy which, while rejoicing at another's goodness, is sad at not possessing it one's self; and which rejoices at another's surpassing one's self in the service of God if one has failed.