--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All theology is a doomed but necessary…" description: "\"“All theology is a doomed but necessary attempt to express the inexpressible. God is the elusive mystery we try to capture and convey in language, but ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/richard-holloway-26700_figures-of-speech_all-theology-is-a-doomed-but-necessary-a_876489.jpg" --- # All theology is a doomed but necessary attempt to express… ![“All theology is a doomed but necessary attempt to express the inexpressible. God is the elusive mystery we try to capture and convey in language, but how can that ever be done? If the word water is not itself drinkable, how can the words we use to express the mystery of God be themselves absolute?…” quote by Richard Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/richard-holloway-26700_figures-of-speech_all-theology-is-a-doomed-but-necessary-a_876489.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/richard-holloway-26700_figures-of-speech_all-theology-is-a-doomed-but-necessary-a_876489.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca0/richard-holloway-26700_figures-of-speech_all-theology-is-a-doomed-but-necessary-a_876489.jpg) > ““All theology is a doomed but necessary attempt to express the inexpressible. God is the elusive mystery we try to capture and convey in language, but how can that ever be done? If the word water is not itself drinkable, how can the words we use to express the mystery of God be themselves absolute? They are metaphors, analogies, figures of speech, yet religious people have slaughtered and condemned each other over these experimental uncertainties. Our glory and agony as humans is that we long to find words that will no longer be words, mere signifiers, but the very experience they are trying to signify; and our tragedy is that we never succeed. This is the anguish that lies at the heart of all religion, because, though our words can describe our thirst for the absolute, they can never satisfy it.”” [Richard Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holloway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion tries to describe the divine with language, but language is inherently limited, leading to endless reinterpretation and conflict. **In simple terms:** Words can’t fully capture the divine, causing conflict. Key Takeaway Accept mystery while seeking meaning. Themes theology language mystery conflict philosophy Mood contemplative poignant Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - Personal meditation - interfaith dialogue - theological education - creative writing Key Concepts Semiotics ineffability religious pluralism Questions to Reflect On - What role does mystery play in personal faith? - Can art convey what language cannot? A Different Perspective Some find comfort in concrete doctrines despite limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Figures of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures-of-speech/) [Mystery of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery-of-god/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-people/) ## Related quotes > [“God is great and God is good, but God is also elusive and unpredictable,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-plantinga-jr/god-is-great-and-god-is-good-but-god-is-also-elusive-and-unpredictable/) [Cornelius Plantinga Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-plantinga-jr/) > [God is not an elusive dream or a phantom to chase, but a divine person to know. 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To be created means that one’s being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-benoist/as-only-god-has-an-absolute-value-everything-that-is-not-god-can-have/) [Alain de Benoist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-benoist/) > [No matter what God's power may be, the first aspect of God is never that of the absolute Master, the Almighty. It is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/no-matter-what-god-s-power-may-be-the-first-aspect-of-god-is-never/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [There will never be beings unloved by God, since God is absolute love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/there-will-never-be-beings-unloved-by-god-since-god-is-absolute-love/) [Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/) > [“Only God has the Absolute Truth. He has broken it into pieces and distributed it among those yearning for it, so we may always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naide-p-obiang/only-god-has-the-absolute-truth-he-has-broken-it-into-pieces-and/) [Naide P Obiang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naide-p-obiang/) > [The great God absolute! The centre and circumference of all democracy! His omnipresence, our divine equality!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/the-great-god-absolute-the-centre-and-circumference-of-all-democracy/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [The truest communication with God is absolute, total silence; there is not a single word in existence that can convey this communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-roberts/the-truest-communication-with-god-is-absolute-total-silence-there-is/) [Bernadette Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-roberts/) > [We've got to know the Word of God. That is our absolute stability. 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Because God is all-powerful...He can help me with anything. Because God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-william-r-bright/attributes-of-god-because-god-is-spirit-i-will-seek-intimate/) Dr William R Bright > [“If there is a single circumstance that can occur outside of God’s control, then God is not God, and He cannot be trusted. That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-buzzard/if-there-is-a-single-circumstance-that-can-occur-outside-of-god-s/) [Justin Buzzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-buzzard/) ## More by Richard Holloway > [The wrong question to ask of a myth is whether it is true or false. The right question is whether it is living or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-holloway/the-wrong-question-to-ask-of-a-myth-is-whether-it-is-true-or-false/) [Richard Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holloway/) > [God is waiting eagerly to respond with new strength to each little act of self-control, small disciplines of prayer, feeble searching after him. 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Christianity was born in conflict,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-holloway/truth-is-rarely-simple-and-seldom-obvious-which-is-why-mature/) [Richard Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holloway/) > [Meditation on the majestic energyof the universe should increase our love for humanity, should widen, not narrow, our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-holloway/meditation-on-the-majestic-energyof-the-universe-should-increase-our/) [Richard Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holloway/) [Explore all 21 Richard Holloway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-holloway/) ## More Figures of speech quotes > [Anderson sent me to give you this he said. I believe the subtext was kiss and makeup. 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