Do you wish to be free? Then above all things, love God, love your neighbor, love one another, love the common weal; then you will have true liberty.
Girolamo SavonarolaRead
Whoever excommunicates me, excommunicates God.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that one's authority to judge others should be scrutinized, as true moral authority comes from a higher power.
Girolamo Savonarola's quote reflects a profound assertion about the nature of excommunication and authority in spiritual and moral contexts. By stating that whoever excommunicates him is also excommunicating God, Savonarola emphasizes the connection between divine authority and human judgment, challenging the validity of any authority that would exclude him from the community of believers. It speaks to the idea that true righteousness cannot be claimed by those who act without divine sanction and portrays the struggle between individual conscience and institutional power.
Themes
ExcommunicationAuthorityDivineJudgmentMorality
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a debate about religious authority during a lecture on Renaissance thinkers.
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