Theology Quotes
More Theology Quotes
Philosophy ... finds itself to be no longer anything but the heir to a fabulous mystical theology, but missing a God and wiping the slate clean.
georges bataille— p. 9 (L’Expérience Intérieure (1943))
The hope of science isthe perfection of the human race. The hope of theology is the salvation of a fewand the damnation of almost everybody.
Robert Ingersoll— 1867 The Age of Reason, Mar.
Now it is on the whole more convenient to keep history and theology apart.
— 1922 A Short History of theWorld, ch.37.
Christianity, if it is to triumph over pantheism, must absorb it. To our pusillanimous eyes Jesus would have borne the marks of a hateful pantheism, for he confirmed the Biblical phrase "ye are gods," and so would St. Paul, who tells us that we are of "the race of God." Our century wants a new theology — that is to say, a more profound explanation of the nature of Christ and of the light which it flashes upon heaven and upon humanity.
henri-frédéric amiel— 1 October 1849
The study of theology as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on no principles; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing; and admits of no conclusion. Not any thing can be studied as a science without our being in possession of the principles upon which it is founded; and as this is not the case with Christian theology, it is therefore the study of nothing.
thomas paine— Chapter III: Conclusion
Christian theology is the grandmother of Bolshevism.
oswald spengler— The Hour of Decision (1933)
What is wonderful about a university like LSE is that you not only receive teaching of very high quality, you also learn where to find the knowledge you are seeking. And you make unexpected discoveries;it was a Marxist professor who introduced me to the work of Cardinal Newman, a great master of English prose as well as theology.
pierre trudeau— Part 1, 1919 - 1968 The Road to 24 Sussex Drive, p. 46
Never shall we apprehend the nature of true divinity nor the true divineness of Jesus of Nazareth, the Carpenter's Son, till we learn to moralize our theology, training ourselves to lay less stress on "Almighty" :;an epithet characteristic of the silver age of Hebrew literature and of our Anglican Prayer Book, but never once used as an epithet of God by Him who knew Him as He is. By way of compensation, we must lay far more stress on " Wise " and " Good ."
edwin abbot— Paradosis : Or "In the Night in Which He Was (?) Betrayed" (1904), "Introduction : Paradosis or Delivering Up the Soul", p. 7
In too many modern churches there is no emphasis on theology at all. There is a kind of justification by works or by keeping up with modern trends anything that will drag in a few more people.
Robertson Davies— "Author Says Messiah Could Be a Woman"
The question rather is how we should do science and theology in light of the impending collapse of Enlightenment rationalism and scientific naturalism. These ideologies are on the way out. They are on the way out.
william a. dembski— p. 14 (Intelligent Design: The Bridge Between Science & Theology (1999))
I think the opportunity to deal with students and getting them properly oriented on science and theology and the relation between those is going to be important because science has been such an instrument used by the materialists to undermine the Christian faith and religious belief generally.
william a. dembski— Robinson, Jeff (16 September 2004), "Dembski to head seminary's new science & theology center", Baptist Press, retrieved on 2011-10-23
I am too much of a sceptic to deny the possibility of anything especially as I am now so much occupied with theology but I don't see my way to your conclusion.
thomas henry huxley— Letter to Herbert Spencer (22 March 1886); this is often quoted with a variant spelling as: I am too much of a skeptic to deny the possibility of anything.
The hell to be endured hereafter, of which theology tells, is no worse than the hell we make for ourselves in this world by habitually fashioning our characters in the wrong way.
william james— Ch. 4 (The Principles of Psychology (1890))
The capacity for the accomplishment of religious virtuosos the “intellectual sacrifice” is the decisive characteristic of the positively religious man. That this is so is shown by the fact that in spite of (or rather in consequence) of theology (which unveils it) the tension between the value-spheres of “science” and the sphere of “the holy” is unbridgeable.
Max Weber— As quoted in Basit Bilal Koshu's The Postmodern Significance of Max Weber's Legacy, p. 62.
A thoughtful historian tells us that, between the Middle Ages and the nineteenth century, Italy produced three great men. As the first of these, he names Machiavelli , who he says, "taught the world to understand political despotism and to hate it"; as the second, he names Sarpi, who "taught the world after what manner the Holy Spirit guides the Councils of the Church"; and as the third, Galileo , who "taught the world what dogmatic theology is worth when it can be tested by science."
Andrew Dickson White— p.3 (Seven Great Statesmen in the Warfare of Humanity with Unreason (1915))
Adoration, which is known as latria , in classical theology , is the worship and homage that is rightly offered to God alone. It is the manifestation of submission and acknowledgement of dependence appropriately shown towards the excellence of an uncreated divine person and to his absolue Lordship. It is the worship of the Creator that God alone deserves.
— St. Thomas Aquinas, in "Introduction to Mary: The Heart of Marian Doctrine and Devotion", p.13
It is on account of theology alone that any assertion whatsoever should be called catholic or heretical. For only an assertion which is consonant with theology is truly catholic, and only one which is known to be opposed to theology is known to be heretical. For if some assertion were found to be opposed to decrees of the highest pontiffs, or also of general councils or also to laws of the emperors, nevertheless, if it were not in conflict with theology, even if it could be considered false, erroneous or unjust, it should not be counted as a heresy.
— Vol. I, Book 1, Ch. 2, as translated by John Kilcullen and John Scott (2003)
Purely philosophical assertions which do not pertain to theology should not be solemnly condemned or forbidden by anyone, because in connection with such [assertions] anyone at all ought to be free to say freely what pleases him.
— Vol. I, Book 2, Ch. 22, as translated by John Scott (1999)
The capacity for the accomplishment of religious virtuosos the “intellectual sacrifice” is the decisive characteristic of the positively religious man. That this is so is shown by the fact that in spite of (or rather in consequence) of theology (which unveils it) the tension between the value-spheres of “science” and the sphere of “the holy” is unbridgeable.
— As quoted in Basit Bilal Koshu's The Postmodern Significance of Max Weber's Legacy, p. 62.
God split himself into a myriad parts that he might have friends. This may not be true, but it sounds good and is no sillier than any other theology.
— Robert A. Heinlein, Aphorisms of Lazarus Long, in "Time Enough for Love" (1978 [1973]), page 216.
In the context of natural theology there is reason to believe that pantheism may fare well if compared with theism. This may be part of the reason why it has been the classic religious alternative to theism.
— Michael P. Levine, Pantheism: A Non-Theistic Concept of Deity p. 349.
Witchcraft offers the model of a religion of poetry , not theology . It presents metaphors , not doctrines , and leaves open the possibility of reconciliation of science and religion , of many ways of knowing .
— Starhawk, The Spiral Dance : A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Goddess (1979), p. 209.
One man's theology is another man's belly laugh.
robert a. heinlein— Time Enough for Love (Twelfth Printing ed.). New York: Berkeley Medallion. p. 243. ISBN 9780425024935.
I have only found the key to the cipher of the Christian religion, only extricated its true meaning from the web of contradictions and delusions called theology .
— Ludwig Feuerbach, in Irving Hexham, er al., Encountering New Religious Movements: A Holistic Evangelical Approach (Google eBook), Kregel Academic, p.101
Bad Religion has never been about criticizing people who are Christian . But we've always been about pointing out the irony and contradictions in Christian theology and the more extreme versions of Christians that seek to challenge modern secularism .
— Greg Graffin, in Emily Zemler Bad Religion Cut an Unlikely Christmas EP, Rolling Stone, November 28, 2013
"Just what kind of noose are you offering to put round my neck, here? Is this treason?" "Worse," Cazaril sighed. "theology."
lois mcmaster bujold— p. 333 (Cryoburn (2010))
What is the difference between a Doctor of Medicine and a Doctor of theology? One prescribes drugs, while the other might as well be on drugs.
pat condell— YouTube video (August 3, 2007; from YouTube)
theology is the post hoc rationalization of what you want to believe.
jerry coyne— "Quote of the week: William James on theology" June 4, 2012
