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
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Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy.
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Possession of material riches, without inner peace, is like dying of thirst while bathing in a lake. If material poverty is to be avoided, spiritual poverty is to be abhorred. For it is spiritual poverty, not material lack, that lies at the core of all human suffering.
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May I not forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit. Though the world knows me not, may my thoughts and actions be such as will keep me friendly with myself.
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The subway in New York is a great social experiment; there are so many races and ways of life sitting together on each car.
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Man can sin against nature in two ways. First, when he sins against his specific rational nature, acting contrary to reason. In this sense, we can say that every sin is a sin against man's nature, because it is against man's right reason.
Thomas AquinasRead