Anarch Quote by Ernst Jünger
““The padres set great store by addressing prayer to personal gods: 'Genuine prayer exists only in religions in which there is a God as a person and a shape and endowed with a will.' That was stated by a famous Protestant. The anarch does not want to have anything to do with that conception. As for the One God: while he may be able to shape persons, he is not a person himself, and the he is already a patriarchal prejudice. A neuter One is beyond our grasp, while man converses ten with the Many Gods on equal terms, whether as their inventor or as their discoverer. In any case, it is man who named the gods. This is not to be confused with a high level soliloquy. Divinity must, without a doubt, be inside us and recognized as being inside us; otherwise we would have no concept of gods.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Forest Passage” (Der Waldgänger) by Ernst Jünger, 1951
The passage argues that genuine prayer requires a personal, willful deity, and that modern thought should view divinity as an inner human quality rather than an external, personified god.
In simple terms: Prayer needs a personal god; true divinity is internal.
Key Takeaway
Seek inner meaning, not external personifications.
Themes
theology
philosophy
humanism
spirituality
Mood
contemplative
critical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
theological
reflective
When to use this quote
- religious practice
- personal reflection
- philosophical debate
- spiritual exploration
Key Concepts
Personal deity
inner divinity
anthropomorphism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you experience the divine within?
- Can spirituality exist without a personal deity?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook non‑theistic traditions that find meaning without a personal god.
