--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Faith, doubt, humility, and…" description: "\"“Faith, doubt, humility, and confidence—this is the stuff and substance of theology at its best. Swagger, smugness, and certainty—this is the stuff and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/austin-fischer-38446_faith_faith-doubt-humility-and-confidence-this_1088834.jpg" --- # Faith, doubt, humility, and confidence—this is the stuff… ![“Faith, doubt, humility, and confidence—this is the stuff and substance of theology at its best. Swagger, smugness, and certainty—this is the stuff and substance of ideology at its worst.” quote by Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/austin-fischer-38446_faith_faith-doubt-humility-and-confidence-this_1088834.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/austin-fischer-38446_faith_faith-doubt-humility-and-confidence-this_1088834.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/austin-fischer-38446_faith_faith-doubt-humility-and-confidence-this_1088834.jpg) > ““Faith, doubt, humility, and confidence—this is the stuff and substance of theology at its best. Swagger, smugness, and certainty—this is the stuff and substance of ideology at its worst.”” [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Theology balances faith, doubt, humility, confidence; ideology is marked by swagger, smugness, certainty. **In simple terms:** Theology is humble; ideology is arrogant. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility in belief systems. Themes theology ideology humility confidence Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic discourse - public debates - personal belief Key Concepts philosophy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can humility improve ideological discussions? - What role does confidence play in theology? A Different Perspective Ideology can be persuasive despite arrogance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) ## Related quotes > [“What he aimed for, and succeeded some days in attaining was the remarkable equipoise of humility and confidence that is grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-haag/what-he-aimed-for-and-succeeded-some-days-in-attaining-was-the/) [Christina Haag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-haag/) > [I judge a man by his actions with men, much more than by his declarations Godwards -- When I find him to be envious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/i-judge-a-man-by-his-actions-with-men-much-more-than-by-his/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [“If the opposite of certainty is doubt, humility must lie somewhere between the two,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-the-opposite-of-certainty-is-doubt-humility-must-lie-somewhere/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [“Confidence without humility is arrogance. Humility without confidence is weakness. Confidence and humility are both biblical. And they're equally essential for living a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/confidence-without-humility-is-arrogance-humility-without-confidence/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [Recite your Rosary with faith, with humility, with confidence, and with perseverance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-montfort/recite-your-rosary-with-faith-with-humility-with-confidence-and-with/) [Louis de Montfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-montfort/) > [Humility is the only virtue that no devil can imitate. 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A. Torrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-torrey/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“The more important point is that Reality is much more 'nuanced' that we may imagine. Operationally co-existent economies make for a much better fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/the-more-important-point-is-that-reality-is-much-more-nuanced-that-we/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [“God is the Wonderful Counselor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/god-is-the-wonderful-counselor/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [ By profession a biologist, \[Thomas Henry Huxley\] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-huxley-covered-in-fact-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Austin Fischer > [“The character of Jesus is the character of God. God would never do something Jesus would find morally reprehensible, so if you can’t find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/the-character-of-jesus-is-the-character-of-god-god-would-never-do/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“no misery to be saved from . . . So evil is necessary, in order to the highest happiness of the creature, and the completeness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/no-misery-to-be-saved-from-so-evil-is-necessary-in-order-to-the/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“heart of belief there is a leap. For various biblical, rational, and experiential”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/heart-of-belief-there-is-a-leap-for-various-biblical-rational-and/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“Or could one seriously introduce the idea of a bad God, as it were by the back door, through a sort of extreme Calvinism?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/or-could-one-seriously-introduce-the-idea-of-a-bad-god-as-it-were-by/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“Daily Jesus challenges you to follow him up on the cross so your old self can continue to be crucified, and daily you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/daily-jesus-challenges-you-to-follow-him-up-on-the-cross-so-your-old/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“is easy, particularly if home has been a place of abuse or neglect. But oftentimes leaving home is difficult, especially if home has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/is-easy-particularly-if-home-has-been-a-place-of-abuse-or-neglect-but/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“It is often said that one’s theology is not tenable unless it can be preached at the gates of Auschwitz.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/it-is-often-said-that-one-s-theology-is-not-tenable-unless-it-can-be/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“so I have also tried to be honest. And the best way I have found to be honest is to tell you my story:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/so-i-have-also-tried-to-be-honest-and-the-best-way-i-have-found-to-be/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“As Greg Boyd states: Why should we assume that God desires to do everything he has the raw power to do? . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/as-greg-boyd-states-why-should-we-assume-that-god-desires-to-do/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) > [“I believe we best say yes to God's glory and sovereignty by saying no to Calvinism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-fischer/i-believe-we-best-say-yes-to-god-s-glory-and-sovereignty-by-saying-no/) [Austin Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) [Explore all 11 Austin Fischer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-fischer/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Faith, doubt, humility, and confidence—this is the stuff and substance of theology at its best. 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