Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.

— Paul Tillich (1886–1965), Theologe

Source: Werk nicht benannt (über goodreads, Wortlaut nicht gegengeprüft)

Topics: Doubt & Hard Questions, Faith & Trust

Occasions: For Reflection, Encouragement

Paul Tillich

Paul Tillich (1886–1965) war ein deutsch-amerikanischer evangelisch-lutherischer Theologe und Religionsphilosoph, der nach seiner Amtsenthebung durch die Nationalsozialisten vor allem an Universitäten in den USA lehrte. Bekannt wurde er für seine Methode der Korrelation zwischen existentiellen Fragen der Moderne und christlicher Offenbarung sowie für die Definition Gottes als „Grund des Seins“. Für Bibelleser bietet sein Denken Zugänge zu Themen wie Angst und Zweifel, während seine philosophische Umdeutung traditioneller Dogmen umstritten bleibt und posthum Vorwürfe über das Ausnutzen von Abhängigkeitsverhältnissen gegenüber Studentinnen bekannt wurden.

All quotes by Paul Tillich (66)

More on this topic

The strongest faith isn't a faith that never doubts. Rather, it's a faith that grows through doubts.

Craig Groeschel

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it but because, by it, I see everything else.

C.S. Lewis

Do you see the moon standing there? It's only half visible, and yet it's round and lovely! So it is with many things that we lightly laugh about, because our eyes cannot see them.

Matthias Claudius

The grip of our faith by which we hold on to the Lord may loosen. But the One in whom we believe holds us with his grip.

Helmut Thielicke

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.

C.S. Lewis

Now that I am a Christian I do not have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable.

C.S. Lewis

Faith comes and goes. It rises and falls like the tides of an invisible ocean. If it is presumptuous to think that faith will stay with you forever, it is just as presumptuous to think that unbelief will.

Flannery O'Connor

Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.

William Shakespeare

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