A man is never so truly and intensely himself as when he is most possessed by God. It is impossible to say where, in the spiritual life, the human will leaves off and divine grace begins.
William Ralph IngeRead
The strongest wish of a vast number of earnest men and women to-day is for a basis of religious belief which shall rest, not upon tradition or external authority or historical evidence, but upon the ascertainable facts of human experience. The craving for immediacy, which we have seen to be characteristic of all mysticism, now takes the form of a desire to establish the validity of the God-consciousness as a normal part of the healthy inner life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
People seek a personal and experiential basis for religious belief rather than relying on tradition or authority.
This quote expresses a contemporary yearning among individuals for a form of religious belief grounded in personal experience rather than in historical documentation or external validations. It highlights the shift towards a desire for immediacy in understanding spirituality, suggesting that many people today view the awareness of God not merely as a mystical experience but as an integral aspect of a balanced and healthy inner life.
Themes
ReligionBeliefExperienceSpiritualityMysticism
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on modern spirituality, this quote could illustrate the search for personal connections to faith.
More from William Ralph Inge
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Deliberate cruelty to our defenceless and beautiful little cousins is surely one of the meanest and most detestable vices of which a human being can be guilty.
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The enemies of freedom do not argue; they shout and they shoot.
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Bereavement is the deepest initiation into the mysteries of human life, an initiation more searching and profound than even happy love.
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