--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In any theological struggle, the first…" description: "\"“In any theological struggle, the first thousand years are always the bitterest.”\" — Philip Jenkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/philip-jenkins-10529_christianity_in-any-theological-struggle-the-first-th_1615117.jpg" --- # In any theological struggle, the first thousand years are… ![“In any theological struggle, the first thousand years are always the bitterest.” quote by Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/philip-jenkins-10529_christianity_in-any-theological-struggle-the-first-th_1615117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/philip-jenkins-10529_christianity_in-any-theological-struggle-the-first-th_1615117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/philip-jenkins-10529_christianity_in-any-theological-struggle-the-first-th_1615117.jpg) > ““In any theological struggle, the first thousand years are always the bitterest.”” [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The early centuries of any religious movement are often marked by intense conflict and hardship. **In simple terms:** Early religious history is very conflict‑filled. Key Takeaway Expect struggle in the beginnings of new ideas. Themes religion history conflict Mood thoughtful serious Type historical analytical When to use this quote - missionary work - interfaith dialogue - academic study Key Concepts theology social upheaval Questions to Reflect On - What makes the first thousand years so bitter? - Can conflict be productive? A Different Perspective Early conflict can also foster lasting cohesion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitterest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterest/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) ## Related quotes > [We all struggle alone through the ten thousand joys and ten thousand sorrows of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kim/we-all-struggle-alone-through-the-ten-thousand-joys-and-ten-thousand/) [Elizabeth Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kim/) > [An injured friend is the bitterest of foes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-injured-friend-is-the-bitterest-of-foes/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [No tyrant, however evil, has yet lacked ready hands to execute his most abominable will. To read how eagerly men have rushed to serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jefferies/no-tyrant-however-evil-has-yet-lacked-ready-hands-to-execute-his-most/) [Richard Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jefferies/) > [“The bitterest of ironies is that the people who make us feel the most accepted, secure, and whole are the same people who make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gume-laurel-iii/the-bitterest-of-ironies-is-that-the-people-who-make-us-feel-the-most/) [Gume Laurel III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gume-laurel-iii/) > [That President Mohammad Khatami's policies have been blocked is the bitterest incident in the contemporary Iranian history. This means that the wishes of millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/that-president-mohammad-khatami-s-policies-have-been-blocked-is-the/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [The Bitterest Truth is better than sweetest Lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/the-bitterest-truth-is-better-than-sweetest-lie/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [That is the bitterest of all,--to wear the yoke of our own wrong-doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/that-is-the-bitterest-of-all-to-wear-the-yoke-of-our-own-wrong-doing/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The bitterest creature under heaven is the wife who discovers that her husband's bravery is only bravado, that his strength is only a uniform,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/the-bitterest-creature-under-heaven-is-the-wife-who-discovers-that/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [Obligation is the bitterest thraldom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-curchod/obligation-is-the-bitterest-thraldom/) [Suzanne Curchod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-curchod/) > [The bitterest truth is better than the sweetest lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bitterest-truth-is-better-than-the-sweetest-lie/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Freedom does not always win. This is one of the bitterest lessons of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/freedom-does-not-always-win-this-is-one-of-the-bitterest-lessons-of/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [The sweetest memory is that which involves something which one should not have done; the bitterest, that which involves something which one should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/the-sweetest-memory-is-that-which-involves-something-which-one-should/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [Of all the bitter and heavy things in this sorry old world, the not being necessary is the bitterest and heaviest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-deland/of-all-the-bitter-and-heavy-things-in-this-sorry-old-world-the-not/) [Margaret Deland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-deland/) > [“The bitterest truth was always better than the sweetest lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-bitterest-truth-was-always-better-than-the-sweetest-lie/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“...he's lonely, and lonely people are the bitterest of them all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/he-s-lonely-and-lonely-people-are-the-bitterest-of-them-all/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) ## More by Philip Jenkins > [“Yet even when such languages did not face direct official sanction, speakers of older tongues knew that they had little chance of getting on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/yet-even-when-such-languages-did-not-face-direct-official-sanction/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [“Christianity offers similar stories, and the global Christianity that perished in the late Middle Ages has revived in the past century. 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This is one of the bitterest lessons of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/freedom-does-not-always-win-this-is-one-of-the-bitterest-lessons-of/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [The bitterest truth is better than the sweetest lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bitterest-truth-is-better-than-the-sweetest-lie/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Obligation is the bitterest thraldom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-curchod/obligation-is-the-bitterest-thraldom/) [Suzanne Curchod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-curchod/) > [The bitterest creature under heaven is the wife who discovers that her husband's bravery is only bravado, that his strength is only a uniform,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/the-bitterest-creature-under-heaven-is-the-wife-who-discovers-that/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [That is the bitterest of all,--to wear the yoke of our own wrong-doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/that-is-the-bitterest-of-all-to-wear-the-yoke-of-our-own-wrong-doing/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The Bitterest Truth is better than sweetest Lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/the-bitterest-truth-is-better-than-sweetest-lie/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [That President Mohammad Khatami's policies have been blocked is the bitterest incident in the contemporary Iranian history. This means that the wishes of millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdolkarim-soroush/that-president-mohammad-khatami-s-policies-have-been-blocked-is-the/) [Abdolkarim Soroush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdolkarim-soroush/) > [“The bitterest of ironies is that the people who make us feel the most accepted, secure, and whole are the same people who make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gume-laurel-iii/the-bitterest-of-ironies-is-that-the-people-who-make-us-feel-the-most/) [Gume Laurel III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gume-laurel-iii/) > [No tyrant, however evil, has yet lacked ready hands to execute his most abominable will. 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