Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the meaning of life is on the verge of an act of faith.
Paul TillichRead
Theology moves back and forth between two poles, the eternal truth of its foundations and the temporal situation in which the eternal truth must be received.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Theology navigates between timeless truths and the changing contexts of human experience.
Paul Tillich's quote highlights the dynamic relationship between eternal truths—such as those found in theology—and the temporal situations that humans face. It suggests that while certain truths are constant, their understanding and interpretation can evolve based on the cultural and historical context in which they are received, necessitating a flexible approach to theology that respects both the eternal and the temporal aspects of existence.
Themes
TheologyTruthEternalTemporalContext
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on theology, I might use this quote to illustrate the importance of context in understanding religious truths.
More from Paul Tillich
All quotes →Cruelty towards others is always also cruelty towards ourselves.
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He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being.
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The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.
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The citizens of a city are not guilty of the crimes committed in their city; but they are guilty as participants in the destiny of [humanity] as a whole and in the destiny of their city in particular; for their acts in which freedom was united with destiny have contributed to the destiny in which they participate. They are guilty, not of committing the crimes of which their group is accused, but of contributing to the destiny in which these crimes happened.
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Wine is like the incarnation--it is both divine and human
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