--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being Christian without the Church…" description: "\"Being Christian without the Church doesn't make sense. That's why the great Paul VI, said that the most absurd dichotomy is loving Christ without the C..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/pope-francis-85_absurd_being-christian-without-the-church-doesn_505449.png" --- # Being Christian without the Church doesn't make sense… ![“Being Christian without the Church doesn't make sense. That's why the great Paul VI, said that the most absurd dichotomy is loving Christ without the Church. To listen to Christ, but not the Church. To be with Christ, but stay at the margins of the Church. It's not possible. It's an absurd…” quote by Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/pope-francis-85_absurd_being-christian-without-the-church-doesn_505449.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/pope-francis-85_absurd_being-christian-without-the-church-doesn_505449.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/pope-francis-85_absurd_being-christian-without-the-church-doesn_505449.png) > “Being Christian without the Church doesn't make sense. That's why the great Paul VI, said that the most absurd dichotomy is loving Christ without the Church. To listen to Christ, but not the Church. To be with Christ, but stay at the margins of the Church. It's not possible. It's an absurd dichotomy.” [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith and community are inseparable; true devotion to Christ requires participation in the Church’s life and sacraments. **In simple terms:** You can’t love Christ without the Church. Key Takeaway Live within the Church. Themes faith community church spirituality Mood reflective serious Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - family worship - church attendance - volunteering - counseling Key Concepts Ecclesiology Christology sacramental theology Questions to Reflect On - How does community shape your faith? - Can you experience Christ without the Church? A Different Perspective Some may argue personal spirituality can exist outside institutional religion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [Absurd Dichotomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd-dichotomy-4296459/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-christ-610561/) [Church Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-possible-4296461/) [Dichotomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dichotomy/) [Dichotomy Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dichotomy-loving-4296460/) [Make sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-sense/) [Margins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/margins/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) ## Related quotes > [I never made a success of a lecture delivered in a church yet. People are afraid to laugh in a church. They can't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-never-made-a-success-of-a-lecture-delivered-in-a-church-yet-people/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [The Church encourages those in power to be truly at the service of the common good of their peoples. She urges financial leaders to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-church-encourages-those-in-power-to-be-truly-at-the-service-of/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“It is because baptism is a real insertion of human beings into the ascended manhood of Christ that the Church is Christ's own body,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-mascall/it-is-because-baptism-is-a-real-insertion-of-human-beings-into-the/) [E.L. Mascall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-mascall/) > [The Church of Christ has been founded by shedding its own blood, not that of others; by enduring outrage, not by inflicting it. Persecutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/the-church-of-christ-has-been-founded-by-shedding-its-own-blood-not/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Again and again the Church of Christ has been all but engulfed, as men might have deemed, in the billows; again and again the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-parry-liddon/again-and-again-the-church-of-christ-has-been-all-but-engulfed-as-men/) [Henry Parry Liddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-parry-liddon/) > [Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ no man can be or remain who does not accept, recognize and obey the authority and supremacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/furthermore-in-this-one-church-of-christ-no-man-can-be-or-remain-who/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [Let it be a settled principle in our minds that the first and chief business of the Church of Christ is to preach the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/let-it-be-a-settled-principle-in-our-minds-that-the-first-and-chief/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [The Christian life is not just our own private affair. If we have been born again into God's family, not only has he become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-christian-life-is-not-just-our-own-private-affair-if-we-have-been/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [It is not enough to be a member of the Church of Christ, one needs to be a living member, in spirit and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/it-is-not-enough-to-be-a-member-of-the-church-of-christ-one-needs-to/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [“But while Israel as a nation is and remains God's portion from among the nations of the earth, the Church of Christ, made up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baron/but-while-israel-as-a-nation-is-and-remains-god-s-portion-from-among/) [David Baron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baron/) > [Is this really the church of Christ, or are we just calling it the church because of our traditions and history?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-p-yohannan/is-this-really-the-church-of-christ-or-are-we-just-calling-it-the/) [K.P. Yohannan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-p-yohannan/) > [There is no regularly constituted church of Christ on earth, nor any person qualified to administer any church ordinances; nor can there be until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/there-is-no-regularly-constituted-church-of-christ-on-earth-nor-any/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [The church itself has got to go outside of its own borders and carry the gospel to ev'ry creature, or it is no church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-everett-hale/the-church-itself-has-got-to-go-outside-of-its-own-borders-and-carry/) [Edward Everett Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-everett-hale/) > [“He wills that we take ourselves with great strength to the faith of holy Church and find there our most precious mother in comfort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-of-norwich/he-wills-that-we-take-ourselves-with-great-strength-to-the-faith-of/) [Julian of Norwich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-of-norwich/) > [It is the half-Christian clergy of every denomination that are the main cause of the so-called failure of the church of Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-the-half-christian-clergy-of-every-denomination-that-are-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More by Pope Francis > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-s-faithfulness-is-stronger-than-our-unfaithfulness-and-our/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“Most people nowadays would not consider love as related in any way to truth. Love is seen as an experience associated with the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/most-people-nowadays-would-not-consider-love-as-related-in-any-way-to/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Listen to Jesus and follow him. That's the message of the Transfiguration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/listen-to-jesus-and-follow-him-that-s-the-message-of-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Proceed calmly in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/proceed-calmly-in-life/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I like to say that women are those who form life in their wombs - and this is a comparison I make - they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-like-to-say-that-women-are-those-who-form-life-in-their-wombs-and/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [You cannot insult the faith of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/you-cannot-insult-the-faith-of-others/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-want-to-remind-priests-that-the-confessional-must-not-be-a-torture/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [To all people of good will who are working for social justice: never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-all-people-of-good-will-who-are-working-for-social-justice-never/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [In Confession, Jesus welcomes us with all our sinfulness, to give us a new heart, capable of loving as he loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-confession-jesus-welcomes-us-with-all-our-sinfulness-to-give-us-a/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I pray every day for all who are suffering in Iraq. Please join me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-pray-every-day-for-all-who-are-suffering-in-iraq-please-join-me/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I entrust this Twenty-second World Day of the Sick to the intercession of Mary. I ask her to help the sick to bear their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-entrust-this-twenty-second-world-day-of-the-sick-to-the/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Certain realities in life are only seen through eyes that are cleansed through our tears. Let us learn how to weep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/certain-realities-in-life-are-only-seen-through-eyes-that-are/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) [Explore all 1,479 Pope Francis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More Absurd quotes > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is human nature to think wisely and to act in an absurd fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-human-nature-to-think-wisely-and-to-act-in-an-absurd-fashion/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought to myself: if it’s true that every person has a star in the sky, mine must be distant, dim, and absurd. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadegh-hedayat/i-thought-to-myself-if-it-s-true-that-every-person-has-a-star-in-the/) [Sadegh Hedayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadegh-hedayat/) > [If, indeed, a firearm were more dangerous to its possessors than to potential aggressors, would it not make sense for the government to arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/if-indeed-a-firearm-were-more-dangerous-to-its-possessors-than-to/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The absurd duty, too often inculcated, of obeying a parent only on account of his being a parent, shackles the mind, and prepares it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/the-absurd-duty-too-often-inculcated-of-obeying-a-parent-only-on/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-workman-of-today-works-every-day-in-his-life-at-the-same-tasks/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I was once part of a Christmas cabaret. I sang 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.' I tap-danced. I had a ten-gallon hat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/i-was-once-part-of-a-christmas-cabaret-i-sang-i-saw-mommy-kissing/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Solitude produces originality, bold and astonishing beauty, poetry. But solitude also produces perverseness, the disproportianate, the absurd and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/solitude-produces-originality-bold-and-astonishing-beauty-poetry-but/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) [Browse all 1,644 Absurd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being Christian without the Church doesn't make sense. That's why the great Paul VI, said that the most absurd dichotomy is loving Christ without the Church. To listen to Christ, but not the Church. To be with Christ, but stay at the margins of the Church. It's not possible. It's an absurd dichotomy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pope Francis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/being-christian-without-the-church-doesn-t-make-sense-that-s-why-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absurd" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/being-christian-without-the-church-doesn-t-make-sense-that-s-why-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/pope-francis-85_absurd_being-christian-without-the-church-doesn_505449.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/pope-francis-85_absurd_being-christian-without-the-church-doesn_505449.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/pope-francis-85_absurd_being-christian-without-the-church-doesn_505449.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being Christian without the Church doesn't make sense. That's why the great Paul VI, said that the most…” — Pope Francis", "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": "Pope Francis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being Christian without the Church doesn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/being-christian-without-the-church-doesn-t-make-sense-that-s-why-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/being-christian-without-the-church-doesn-t-make-sense-that-s-why-the/#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 } } ] } ```