Activity Quote by Colin Gunton
“To image the being of God towards the world, to be the priest of creation, is to behave towards the world in all its aspects, of work, and of play, in such a way that it may come to be what it was created to be, that which praises its maker by becoming perfect in its own way. In all this, there is room for both usefulness and beauty to take their due place, but differently according to differences of activity and object.”
About This Quote
Human beings should act as caretakers of creation, balancing usefulness and beauty in work and play, allowing each thing to fulfill its purpose and glorify its maker.
In simple terms: Live as a priest of creation, honoring both function and beauty.
Key Takeaway
Purposeful action integrates utility and aesthetic.
Themes
theology
philosophy
ethics
aesthetics
Mood
inspirational
reverent
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Designing sustainable products
- Teaching arts alongside vocational skills
- Environmental stewardship
Key Concepts
teleology
integrative ethics
Practical Applications
- Incorporate beauty into functional design
- Cultivate reverence for all aspects of creation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we measure beauty in everyday tasks?
- What tensions arise between usefulness and aesthetic?
![“[To a priest who smoked:] What a shame for a man to dress like a saint and smell like a devil!” quote by Carrie Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c97/carrie-nation-49377_devil_to-a-priest-who-smoked-what-a-shame-for_79212.jpg)
![“I left that church with rich and royal hatred of the priest as a person, and a loathing for the church as an institution, and I vowed that I would never go inside a church again. [Eugene V. Debs, describing his teenage reaction to a hellfire lecture by a priest]” quote by Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/434/eugene-v-debs-7814_church_i-left-that-church-with-rich-and-royal-h_71485.jpg)
