--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And so, today, if the state can no longer…" description: "\"And so, today, if the state can no longer appeal to the old moral principles that belong to the Christian tradition, it will be forced to create a new ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/christopher-dawson-15516_appeals_and-so-today-if-the-state-can-no-longer_809185.jpg" --- # And so, today, if the state can no longer appeal to the… ![“And so, today, if the state can no longer appeal to the old moral principles that belong to the Christian tradition, it will be forced to create a new official faith and new moral principles which will be binding on its citizens.” quote by Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/christopher-dawson-15516_appeals_and-so-today-if-the-state-can-no-longer_809185.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/christopher-dawson-15516_appeals_and-so-today-if-the-state-can-no-longer_809185.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22a/christopher-dawson-15516_appeals_and-so-today-if-the-state-can-no-longer_809185.jpg) > “And so, today, if the state can no longer appeal to the old moral principles that belong to the Christian tradition, it will be forced to create a new official faith and new moral principles which will be binding on its citizens.” [Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author warns that abandoning traditional Christian morals may force societies to invent new state-imposed ethics. **In simple terms:** Losing old morals leads to imposed new ones. Key Takeaway Consider the roots of your moral framework. Themes morality society tradition Mood cautious thoughtful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislation - education - public discourse Key Concepts political philosophy secularism Questions to Reflect On - Should societies preserve old morals? - What risks arise from state‑crafted ethics? A Different Perspective New moral codes may lack genuine conviction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appeals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appeals/) [Binding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/binding/) [Binding Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/binding-citizens-233075/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-tradition-233074/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-principles/) [New Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-moral-233072/) [Official Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/official-faith-233073/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Tradition Forced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition-forced-233071/) ## Related quotes > [As I have pointed out, it is the Christian tradition that is the most fundamental element in Western culture. 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