--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A general problem with much of Western…" description: "\"A general problem with much of Western theology in my view is that the god portrayed is too small. It is a god of a tiny world and not a god of a galax..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/carl-sagan-160_galaxy_a-general-problem-with-much-of-western-t_1429114.jpg" --- # A general problem with much of Western theology in my view… ![“A general problem with much of Western theology in my view is that the god portrayed is too small. It is a god of a tiny world and not a god of a galaxy much less of a universe.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/carl-sagan-160_galaxy_a-general-problem-with-much-of-western-t_1429114.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/carl-sagan-160_galaxy_a-general-problem-with-much-of-western-t_1429114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/carl-sagan-160_galaxy_a-general-problem-with-much-of-western-t_1429114.jpg) > “A general problem with much of Western theology in my view is that the god portrayed is too small. It is a god of a tiny world and not a god of a galaxy much less of a universe.” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human concepts often imagine a deity limited to a small scale, overlooking the vastness of the cosmos and the possibility of a grander creator. **In simple terms:** God is often imagined too small. Key Takeaway Consider a larger cosmic perspective. Themes theology cosmology humility Mood wonderful thought‑provoking Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - philosophical debates - science education - interfaith dialogue - personal reflection Key Concepts scale universe spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What would a god of the galaxy look like? - How does scale affect belief? A Different Perspective Expanding the concept of God may conflict with traditional doctrines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Galaxy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/galaxy/) [God Portrayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-portrayed-4908884/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Small God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-god-264987/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) [Tiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiny/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [View God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/view-god/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-theology-5083476/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-god/) ## Related quotes > [I rejected the God that was portrayed as masculine and judgmental and cruel at times. The concept of us bring not worthy to receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-rejected-the-god-that-was-portrayed-as-masculine-and-judgmental-and/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Better to have small faith in a great God than to have great faith in a small god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson/better-to-have-small-faith-in-a-great-god-than-to-have-great-faith-in/) [Steven J Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson/) > [“No question, no problem, no concern, is too big or too small for God to handle!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/no-question-no-problem-no-concern-is-too-big-or-too-small-for-god-to/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [“There is no need to act small when God is there to give you strength to do great things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-no-need-to-act-small-when-god-is-there-to-give-you-strength/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Small numbers make no difference to God. There is nothing small that God is in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/small-numbers-make-no-difference-to-god-there-is-nothing-small-that/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [Each of us is a small part of God's plan. I'm a small part. I create paintings that are being used by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kinkade/each-of-us-is-a-small-part-of-god-s-plan-i-m-a-small-part-i-create/) [Thomas Kinkade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kinkade/) > [There is nothing small about our God, and when we understand God we will find out that there ought not to be anything small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-wigglesworth/there-is-nothing-small-about-our-god-and-when-we-understand-god-we/) [Smith Wigglesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-wigglesworth/) > [Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/give-something-however-small-to-the-one-in-need-for-it-is-not-small/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [Small numbers make no difference to God. There is nothing small if God is in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/small-numbers-make-no-difference-to-god-there-is-nothing-small-if-god/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is nothing small in God's eyes; let there be nothing small in thine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/there-is-nothing-small-in-god-s-eyes-let-there-be-nothing-small-in/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [“God is big, but he moves into the small. God cares about eternity, yet he cares about every second of every human’s life. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-allen/god-is-big-but-he-moves-into-the-small-god-cares-about-eternity-yet/) [Jennie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-allen/) > [Never hesitate to take what you think are small things to God; after all, EVERYTHING is small to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/never-hesitate-to-take-what-you-think-are-small-things-to-god-after/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“She was given to me to put things right And I stacked all my accomplishments beside her Still I seemed so obselete and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/she-was-given-to-me-to-put-things-right-and-i-stacked-all-my/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [You can be too big for God to use, but you can never be too small for God to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/you-can-be-too-big-for-god-to-use-but-you-can-never-be-too-small-for/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [No task is too big or too small for God. He cares for us. He wants the best for us. More importantly He just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ellis/no-task-is-too-big-or-too-small-for-god-he-cares-for-us-he-wants-the/) [Dan Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ellis/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“On the scale of worlds—to say nothing of stars or galaxies—humans are inconsequential, a thin film of life on an obscure and solitary lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/on-the-scale-of-worlds-to-say-nothing-of-stars-or-galaxies-humans-are/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-one-of-us-is-in-the-cosmic-perspective-precious-if-a-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In our time, we have sifted the sands of Mars, we have established a presence there, we have fulfilled a century of dreams!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/in-our-time-we-have-sifted-the-sands-of-mars-we-have-established-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Don't judge everyone else by your own limited experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/don-t-judge-everyone-else-by-your-own-limited-experience/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We live on a hunk of rock and metal that circles a humdrum star that is one of 400 billion other stars that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-on-a-hunk-of-rock-and-metal-that-circles-a-humdrum-star-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A tiny blue dot set in a sunbeam. Here it is. That's where we live. That's home. We humans are one species and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-tiny-blue-dot-set-in-a-sunbeam-here-it-is-that-s-where-we-live-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Any sufficiently crisp question can be answered by a single binary digit-0 or 1, yes or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/any-sufficiently-crisp-question-can-be-answered-by-a-single-binary/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Explore all 1,043 Carl Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More Galaxy quotes > [My favorite galaxy of all is called the Sombrero, NGC 4594. It's an amazing galaxy that is really two galaxies in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-faber/my-favorite-galaxy-of-all-is-called-the-sombrero-ngc-4594-it-s-an/) [Sandra Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-faber/) > [Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, they play on a different galaxy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-nasri/messi-and-cristiano-ronaldo-they-play-on-a-different-galaxy/) [Samir Nasri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-nasri/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-one-of-us-is-in-the-cosmic-perspective-precious-if-a-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [You'd chosen to be an upright biped on the surface of a small planet of a minor sun on the edge of a minor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-d-chosen-to-be-an-upright-biped-on-the-surface-of-a-small-planet/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Don't you see? It's Galaxy-wide. It's a worship of the past. 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