--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion is the state of being grasped by…" description: "\"Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern, a concern which qualifies all other concerns as preliminary and which itself contains th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/paul-tillich-3183_concern_religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-b_2536587.jpg" --- # Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate… ![“Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern, a concern which qualifies all other concerns as preliminary and which itself contains the answer to the question of a meaning of our life.” quote by Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/paul-tillich-3183_concern_religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-b_2536587.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/paul-tillich-3183_concern_religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-b_2536587.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/paul-tillich-3183_concern_religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-b_2536587.jpg) > “Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern, a concern which qualifies all other concerns as preliminary and which itself contains the answer to the question of a meaning of our life.” [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion is an ultimate concern that frames all other concerns and answers life's meaning. **In simple terms:** Religion is a core concern giving life meaning. Key Takeaway Explore deeper existential questions. Themes religion existence meaning philosophy Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - personal crisis - academic study - interfaith dialogue - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts ultimate concern ontology theology Questions to Reflect On - What is your ultimate concern? - How does it shape your values? A Different Perspective Not all find meaning through religion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern, a concern which qualifies all other concerns as preliminary and which itself contains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-by-an-ultimate-concern-a-2/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Man's ultimate concern must be expressed symbolically, because symbolic language alone is able to express the ultimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/man-s-ultimate-concern-must-be-expressed-symbolically-because/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Faith as ultimate concern is an act of the total personality. It happens in the center of the personal life and includes all its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/faith-as-ultimate-concern-is-an-act-of-the-total-personality-it/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [“One note is not music. It is what lies between the notes that makes the music. And what is between them is: their relationship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-safina/one-note-is-not-music-it-is-what-lies-between-the-notes-that-makes/) [Carl Safina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-safina/) > [Being religious means asking passionately the question of the meaning of our existence and being willing to receive answers, even if the answers hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/being-religious-means-asking-passionately-the-question-of-the-meaning/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Whatever a person's ultimate concern may be, it will have an enormous influence on everything else the person does or believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-h-nash/whatever-a-person-s-ultimate-concern-may-be-it-will-have-an-enormous/) [Ronald H. Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-h-nash/) > [God's ultimate concern is not to get you or me from point A to point B along the quickest, easiest, smoothest, clearest route possible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/god-s-ultimate-concern-is-not-to-get-you-or-me-from-point-a-to-point/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [“Every person has something that concerns her ultimately and whatever it is, that object of ultimate concern is that person's God”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-h-nash/every-person-has-something-that-concerns-her-ultimately-and-whatever/) [Ronald H. Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-h-nash/) > [Why does philosophy use concepts and why does faith use symbols if both try to express the same ultimate? The answer, of course, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/why-does-philosophy-use-concepts-and-why-does-faith-use-symbols-if/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [In those who rest on their unshakable faith, pharisaism and fanaticism are the unmistakable symptoms of doubt which has been repressed. Doubt is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/in-those-who-rest-on-their-unshakable-faith-pharisaism-and-fanaticism/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Those who are driven by poverty, those who're free from material worries hunger exhausting labor a joyless existence ask the same question, the question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/those-who-are-driven-by-poverty-those-who-re-free-from-material/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [“You know as well as we do that right is a question that only has meaning in relations between equals in power. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-allison/you-know-as-well-as-we-do-that-right-is-a-question-that-only-has/) [Graham Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-allison/) > [Whatever sociology may be, it is the result of constantly asking the question, what is the meaning of this?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/whatever-sociology-may-be-it-is-the-result-of-constantly-asking-the/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [“Decide yourself who was right: you or the one who questioned you then? Recall the first question; its meaning, though not literally, was this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/decide-yourself-who-was-right-you-or-the-one-who-questioned-you-then/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [ “\[T\]he question "What is everything?" has no meaning, even though it seems to be profound. \[...\] The point is, perhaps, that I am not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/t-he-question-what-is-everything-has-no-meaning-even-though-it-seems/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) ## More by Paul Tillich > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Faith is the state of being ultimately concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/faith-is-the-state-of-being-ultimately-concerned/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [ \[American\] conformism might approximate collectivism, not so much in economic respects, and not too much in political respects, but very much in the pattern… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/american-conformism-might-approximate-collectivism-not-so-much-in/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [There is no condition for forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/there-is-no-condition-for-forgiveness/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/he-who-risks-and-fails-can-be-forgiven-he-who-never-risks-and-never/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Symbols have one characteristic in common with signs; they point beyond themselves to something else. The red sign at the street corner points to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/symbols-have-one-characteristic-in-common-with-signs-they-point/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [In those who rest on their unshakable faith, pharisaism and fanaticism are the unmistakable symptoms of doubt which has been repressed. Doubt is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/in-those-who-rest-on-their-unshakable-faith-pharisaism-and-fanaticism/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [When you love someone and you love them with your heart, it never disappears when you're apart. Anh when you love someone and you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/when-you-love-someone-and-you-love-them-with-your-heart-it-never/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Being religious means asking passionately the question of the meaning of our existence and being willing to receive answers, even if the answers hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/being-religious-means-asking-passionately-the-question-of-the-meaning/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [The joy about our work is spoiled when we perform it not because of what we produce but because of the pleasure with which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/the-joy-about-our-work-is-spoiled-when-we-perform-it-not-because-of/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [In the courageous standing of uncertainty, faith shows most visibly its dynamic character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/in-the-courageous-standing-of-uncertainty-faith-shows-most-visibly/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [For love ... is the blood of life, the power of reunion in the separated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/for-love-is-the-blood-of-life-the-power-of-reunion-in-the-separated/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [Man's ultimate concern must be expressed symbolically, because symbolic language alone is able to express the ultimate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/man-s-ultimate-concern-must-be-expressed-symbolically-because/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [man is free, in so far as he has the power of contradicting himself and his essential nature. Man is free even from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/man-is-free-in-so-far-as-he-has-the-power-of-contradicting-himself/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [The citizens of a city are not guilty of the crimes committed in their city; but they are guilty as participants in the destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/the-citizens-of-a-city-are-not-guilty-of-the-crimes-committed-in/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) [Explore all 136 Paul Tillich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) ## More Concern quotes > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I'm a vegetarian - I think there's a strong possibility, had I not become a vegetarian, I would not be working now. I became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barker/i-m-a-vegetarian-i-think-there-s-a-strong-possibility-had-i-not/) [Bob Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barker/) > [What really concerns me is for Christians to understand the fundamentals of evangelism in a way that is helpful in the contemporary scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/what-really-concerns-me-is-for-christians-to-understand-the/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [It concerns me when people frame the conversation about equal pay about the entertainment business. I don't want the wage gap issue to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/it-concerns-me-when-people-frame-the-conversation-about-equal-pay/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/more-compassionate-mind-more-sense-of-concern-for-other-s-well-being/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ I just have to deal with it \[injuries\] if and when problems happen. It's obviously a concern and I've been very careful with my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-james/i-just-have-to-deal-with-it-injuries-if-and-when-problems-happen-it-s/) [Greg James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-james/) > [Much has been said and continues to be said of what little concern the Turks had for the Acropolis treasures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-mercouri/much-has-been-said-and-continues-to-be-said-of-what-little-concern/) [Melina Mercouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-mercouri/) Browse all 3,297 Concern quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern, a concern which qualifies all other concerns as preliminary and which itself contains the answer to the question of a meaning of our life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Tillich" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-by-an-ultimate-concern-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Concern" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-by-an-ultimate-concern-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/paul-tillich-3183_concern_religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-b_2536587.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/paul-tillich-3183_concern_religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-b_2536587.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/paul-tillich-3183_concern_religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-b_2536587.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern, a concern which qualifies all other concerns…” — Paul Tillich", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Tillich", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Religion is the state of being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-by-an-ultimate-concern-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/religion-is-the-state-of-being-grasped-by-an-ultimate-concern-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```