The Papacy is not other than the Ghost of the deceased Roman Empire, sitting crowned upon the grave thereof.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that the Papacy stands as a continuation of the historical power of the Roman Empire, symbolizing its lingering influence.
Thomas Hobbes articulates the idea that the Papacy, as a religious institution, embodies the residual authority of the Roman Empire. He implies that the Church holds a commanding position over society, much like the Empire did in its prime, thus representing not only a religious authority but a political one that continues to shape governance and culture in its wake.
In practice
In a discussion about the role of the Church in society, this quote can highlight the historical impact of religious institutions.
Baptism is the sacrament of allegiance of them that are to be received into the Kingdom of God, that is to say, into Eternal life, that is to say, to Remission of Sin. For as Eternal life was lost by the committing, so it is recovered by the remitting of men's sins.
Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.
For it is not the shape, but their use, that makes them angels.
For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.
Scientia potentia est, sed parva; quia scientia egregia rara est, nec proinde apparens nisi paucissimis, et in paucis rebus. Scientiae enim ea natura est, ut esse intelligi non possit, nisi ab illis qui sunt scientia praediti.
The end of knowledge is power ... the scope of all speculation is the performing of some action or thing to be done.
Sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge⦠There are two ways to be your own Savior and Lord. One is by breaking all the moral laws and setting your own course, and one is by keeping all the moral laws and being very, very good.
The root of almost every schism and heresy from which the Christian Church has suffered, has been because of the effort of men to earn, rather than receive their salvation; and the reason preaching is so commonly ineffective is, that it often calls on people to work for God rather than letting God work through them.
Without publicity, no good is permanent; under the auspices of publicity, no evil can continue.
The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well.
It is time that scientists and other public intellectuals observed that the contest between faith and reason is zero-sum.
I was never one to patiently pick up broken fragments and glue them together again and tell myself that the mended whole was as good as new. What is broken is broken - and I'd rather remember it as it was at its best than mend it and see the broken places as long as I lived.
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