--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Christianity grasped perfectly that there…" description: "\"“Christianity grasped perfectly that there is an element in the apparent contingency of love that can’t be reduced to that contingency. But it immediat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/alain-badiou-12380_christianity_christianity-grasped-perfectly-that-ther_3076649.jpg" --- # Christianity grasped perfectly that there is an element in… ![“Christianity grasped perfectly that there is an element in the apparent contingency of love that can’t be reduced to that contingency. But it immediately raised it to the level of transcendence, and that is the root of the problem. This universal element I too recognize in love as immanent. But…” quote by Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/alain-badiou-12380_christianity_christianity-grasped-perfectly-that-ther_3076649.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/alain-badiou-12380_christianity_christianity-grasped-perfectly-that-ther_3076649.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/alain-badiou-12380_christianity_christianity-grasped-perfectly-that-ther_3076649.jpg) > ““Christianity grasped perfectly that there is an element in the apparent contingency of love that can’t be reduced to that contingency. But it immediately raised it to the level of transcendence, and that is the root of the problem. This universal element I too recognize in love as immanent. But Christianity has somehow managed to elevate it and refocus it onto a transcendent power. It’s an ideal that was already partly present in Plato, through the idea of the Good. It is a brilliant first manipulation of the power of love and one we must now bring back to earth. I mean we must demonstrate that love really does have universal power, but that it is simply the opportunity we are given to enjoy a positive, creative, affirmative experience of difference. The Other, no doubt, but without the “Almighty-Other”, without the “Great Other” of transcendence.”” [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques Christianity’s elevation of love to transcendence, urging a return to love’s immanent, universal power **In simple terms:** Christianity makes love transcendent; he wants love seen as earthly and universal Key Takeaway Recognize love as a creative, affirmative force in everyday life Themes theology philosophy love transcendence Mood critical hopeful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - social activism - community building - artistic collaboration - educational curricula Key Concepts Platonism immanence political ethics Questions to Reflect On - Can love be both universal and grounded? - How to embody love without relying on divine authority? A Different Perspective Transcendent framing can alienate practical action ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Contingency Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contingency-love-5229356/) [Difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Great Transcendence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-transcendence-5229358/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Immanent Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immanent-christianity-5229357/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Otherness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/otherness/) [Power of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-love/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [The-other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-other/) [Transcendence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendence/) [Transcendent Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent-power-544992/) ## Related quotes > [“Language, the unconscious, the parents, the symbolic order: these terms in Lacan are not exactly synonymous, but they are intimately allied. 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Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-coates/) > [“It doesn’t take a declaration, or an invasion, to start a war, all it takes is an ‘us’ and a ‘them.’ And a spark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-palmer/it-doesn-t-take-a-declaration-or-an-invasion-to-start-a-war-all-it/) [Ada Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-palmer/) > [Giese was an unemotional man, but then in the study of Solaris emotion is a hindrance to the explorer. Imagination and premature theorizing are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/giese-was-an-unemotional-man-but-then-in-the-study-of-solaris-emotion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The human mind is only capable of absorbing a few things at a time. We see what is taking place in front of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-lem/the-human-mind-is-only-capable-of-absorbing-a-few-things-at-a-time-we/) [Stanisław Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-lem/) > [“Since we are not yet fully comfortable with the idea that people from the next village are as human as ourselves, it is presumptuous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/since-we-are-not-yet-fully-comfortable-with-the-idea-that-people-from-2/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) ## More by Alain Badiou > [“The oppressed peoples of the earth are not objects for the exquisite turmoil of European consciences. They are subjects from which to learn how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/the-oppressed-peoples-of-the-earth-are-not-objects-for-the-exquisite/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [“The audacity of thought is not to repeat 'to the limit' that which is already entirely retained within the situation which the limit limits;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/the-audacity-of-thought-is-not-to-repeat-to-the-limit-that-which-is/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [Emancipatory politics always consists in making seem possible precisely that which, from within the situation, is declared to be impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/emancipatory-politics-always-consists-in-making-seem-possible/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [To believe that the intolerable crime is to burn a few cars and rob some shops, whereas to kill a young man is trivial,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/to-believe-that-the-intolerable-crime-is-to-burn-a-few-cars-and-rob/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [All resistance is a rupture with what is. 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But it is not. It is a production of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/love-can-only-consist-in-failure-on-the-fallacious-assumption-that-it/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [Evil is the moment when I lack the strength to be true to the Good that compels me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/evil-is-the-moment-when-i-lack-the-strength-to-be-true-to-the-good/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [What kind of world does one see when one experiences it from the point of view of two and not one? What is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/what-kind-of-world-does-one-see-when-one-experiences-it-from-the/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [We could say that love is a tenacious adventure. The adventurous side is necessary, but equally so is the need for tenacity. 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He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/) [Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? 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