A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
Faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Faith is about maintaining belief despite changing feelings and circumstances.
C.S. Lewis emphasizes that faith requires a commitment to holding onto truths we have rationally accepted, even when our emotions and circumstances fluctuate. This quote highlights the importance of steadfastness in our beliefs, suggesting that true faith is not merely an emotional response but a conscious decision that transcends our ever-changing moods.
Themes
FaithBeliefReasonSteadfastnessMoods
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about resilience and belief in oneself, this quote can illustrate the importance of maintaining faith.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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