Christianity is not some ideal toward which we ought always to strive even though the ideal is out of reach. Christianity is not a series of slogans that sum up our beliefs.
Stanley HauerwasRead
We complain of the increased tempo of our lives, but our frenetic lives are just reflection of the economic system that we have created.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that the fast pace of modern life is a product of our economic system rather than individual choice.
Stanley Hauerwas highlights the paradox of modern existence, where individuals often lament the hurried nature of their lives. He points out that this frenetic energy is not merely a personal issue but is deeply rooted in the economic structures we have established, which prioritize speed, efficiency, and constant productivity over personal well-being and reflection.
Themes
TempoLivesEconomic SystemComplainFrenetic
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about work-life balance, one could quote this to provoke thought on societal structures.
More from Stanley Hauerwas
All quotes βMy way of putting it is that Christians are called to live nonviolently not because we believe nonviolence is a strategy to rid the world of war, but in a world of war as faithful followers of Christ, we cannot imagine being anything other than nonviolent.
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Advent is patience it's how God has made us a people of promise, in a world of impatience.
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War is America's central liturgical act necessary to renew our sense that we are a nation unlike other nations.
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To kill, in war or in any circumstance, creates a silence. It is right that silence should surround the taking of life. After all, the life taken is not ours to take.
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The most creative social strategy we have to offer is the church. Here we show the world a manner of life the world can never achieve through social coercion or governmental action. We serve the world by showing it something that it is not, namely, a place where God is forming a family out of strangers.
Stanley HauerwasRead
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