--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religious ideas and practices take root…" description: "\"Religious ideas and practices take root not because they are promoted by forceful theologians, nor because they can be shown to have a sound historical..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/karen-armstrong-1053_bases_religious-ideas-and-practices-take-root_2784372.jpg" --- # Religious ideas and practices take root not because they… ![“Religious ideas and practices take root not because they are promoted by forceful theologians, nor because they can be shown to have a sound historical or rational basis, but because they are found in practice to give the faithful a sense of sacred transcendence.” quote by Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/karen-armstrong-1053_bases_religious-ideas-and-practices-take-root_2784372.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/karen-armstrong-1053_bases_religious-ideas-and-practices-take-root_2784372.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/karen-armstrong-1053_bases_religious-ideas-and-practices-take-root_2784372.jpg) > “Religious ideas and practices take root not because they are promoted by forceful theologians, nor because they can be shown to have a sound historical or rational basis, but because they are found in practice to give the faithful a sense of sacred transcendence.” [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious practices persist because they provide believers with a feeling of sacred transcendence, not because of force or rational proof. **In simple terms:** Faith endures through personal experience of the sacred. Key Takeaway Recognize the emotional core of belief. Themes faith experience transcendence culture psychology Mood reflective spiritual thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - community rituals - personal prayer - religious education - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts Sacredness meaning-making social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How does personal experience shape belief? - What role does transcendence play in community? A Different Perspective May overlook harmful doctrines that exploit that sense. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faithful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faithful/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Theologian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theologian/) [Transcendence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendence/) ## Related quotes > [Jewish, Christian, and Muslim theologians have insisted for centuries that God does not exist and that there is 'nothing' out there; in making these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/jewish-christian-and-muslim-theologians-have-insisted-for-centuries/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Religion is a practical discipline and it's one that we have always done, ever since humanity appeared on the scene when Homo sapiens became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/religion-is-a-practical-discipline-and-it-s-one-that-we-have-always/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Well, the idea of God as a supreme being means that he is simply like us, writ large, and just bigger and better, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/well-the-idea-of-god-as-a-supreme-being-means-that-he-is-simply-like/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Religions have found that if you behave in a certain way, if you sort of perform certain rituals that expand your mind and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/religions-have-found-that-if-you-behave-in-a-certain-way-if-you-sort/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [Religion is a search for transcendence. 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