Faith in a written revelation is a real, unfeigned, and so…
““Faith in a written revelation is a real, unfeigned, and so far respectable faith, only where it is believed that all in the sacred writings is significant, true, holy, divine. Where, on the contrary, the distinction is made between the human and divine, the relatively true and the absolutely true, the historical and the permanent, - where it is not held that all without distinction is unconditionally true; there the verdict of unbelief, that the Bible is no divine book, is already introduced into the interpretation of the Bible, - … it's title to the character of a divine revelation is denied. Unity, unconditionality, freedom from exceptions, immediate certitude, is alone the character of divinity. A book that imposes on me the necessity of discrimination, the necessity of criticism, in order to separate the divine from the human, the permanent from the temporary, is no longer a divine, certain, infallible book, - it is degraded[.]””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Divine revelation should be unconditional and absolute; human critique undermines its sacredness.
In simple terms: Divine truth must be absolute, not critiqued.
Key Takeaway
Respect the notion of absolute divine authority.
Themes
faith
authority
interpretation
Mood
reflective
philosophical
Type
theoretical
critical
When to use this quote
- religious study
- ethical debates
- personal belief systems
Key Concepts
theology
philosophy of religion
Questions to Reflect On
- Is absolute faith compatible with modern scholarship?
- How do we reconcile human insight with divine claims?
A Different Perspective
Rigid absolutism can stifle critical inquiry and progress.