Evangelism Quote by G.K. Chesterton
““What the gods are supposed to be, what the priests are commissioned to say, is not a sensational secret like what those running messengers of the Gospel had to say. Nobody else except those messengers has any Gospel; nobody else has any good news; for the simple reason that nobody else has any news. Those runners gather impetus as they run. Ages afterwards they still speak as if something had just happened. They have not lost the speed and momentum of messengers; they have hardly lost, as it were, the wild eyes of witnesses. In the Catholic Church, which is the cohort of the message, there are still those headlong acts of holiness that speak of something rapid and recent; a self-sacrifice that startles the world like a suicide. But it is not a suicide; it is not pessimistic; it is still as optimistic as St. Francis of the flowers and birds. It is newer in spirit than the newest schools of thought; and it is almost certainly on the eve of new triumphs. For these men serve a mother who seems to grow more beautiful as new generations rise up and call her blessed. We might sometimes fancy that the Church grows younger as the world grows old.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Catholic Church and the Modern World”, 1912
Religious messages lose immediacy over time, yet retain fervor and hope, appearing both ancient and fresh
In simple terms: Old teachings feel new when passionately delivered
Recognize timeless vigor in enduring traditions
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- religious practice
- public speaking
- social movements
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How to balance tradition with innovation?
- What role does urgency play in belief?
Passion can mask stagnation