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
Morality [or ethics] is not a subject; it is a life put to the test in dozens of moments.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Morality is tested through our actions and decisions in everyday life.
This quote by Paul Tillich emphasizes that morality is not merely an abstract concept or a subject to study; rather, it is a practical guide that is put to the test through our daily experiences and choices. Each moment in life presents opportunities to reflect our ethical values, demonstrating that morality is woven into the fabric of our existence and is shaped by our reactions to the challenges we encounter.
Themes
MoralityEthicsLifeTestChoices
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about ethics in business, one might use this quote to highlight the importance of real-life applications of moral principles.
More from Paul Tillich
All quotes βCruelty towards others is always also cruelty towards ourselves.
Paul TillichRead
He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being.
Paul TillichRead
The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.
Paul TillichRead
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.
Paul TillichRead
Wine is like the incarnation--it is both divine and human
Paul TillichRead
Similar quotes
I have never known what is Arabic or English, or which one was really mine beyond any doubt. What I do know, however, is that the two have always been together in my life, one resonating in the other, sometimes ironically, sometimes nostalgically, most often each correcting, and commenting on, the other. Each can seem like my absolutely first language, but neither is.
Edward SaidRead
I remember a time when a cabbage could sell itself by being a cabbage. Nowadays itβs no good being a cabbage β unless you have an agent and pay him a commission. Nothing is free anymore to sell itself or give itself away. These days, Countess, every cabbage has its pimp.
Jean GiraudouxRead
A distracted existence leads us to no goal
Johann Wolfgang Von GoetheRead
Those of us raised in the Christian tradition need to choose to either see God in Jesus or to continue to let the Bible define God. Our tradition says that Jesus is God. Maybe we should act as if we think he is instead of worshipping a book. Maybe we should be brave enough to admit that we are compelled to either become blinded ideologues or we need to forthrightly pick and choose what we follow in the Bible. Most Christians do that anyway, many just donβt admit it.
Frank SchaefferRead
What tender and devoted mother wouldn't be dismayed and ill with terror at her son's or daughter's stepping even one hair's breath off the beaten track. No, better let him be happy and live in comfort without originality, is what every mother thinks when she rocks the cradle. The only person among us who can fail to reach the general's rank is the original man - in other words, the man who won't be quiet.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
I believe all Americans are born with certain inalienable rights. As a child of God, I believe my rights are not derived from the constitution. My rights are not derived from any government. My rights are not denied by any majority. My rights are because I exist. They were given to me and each of my fellow citizens by our creator, and they represent the essence of human dignity.
Joe BidenRead