--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The theater in which God has chosen to…" description: "\"“The theater in which God has chosen to meet rational creatures quietly is the inward realm of conscience, moral reasoning, prayer, and study, especial..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/thomas-c-oden-31137_ethics_the-theater-in-which-god-has-chosen-to-m_1875468.jpg" --- # The theater in which God has chosen to meet rational… ![“The theater in which God has chosen to meet rational creatures quietly is the inward realm of conscience, moral reasoning, prayer, and study, especially study of the revealed Word.” quote by Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/thomas-c-oden-31137_ethics_the-theater-in-which-god-has-chosen-to-m_1875468.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/thomas-c-oden-31137_ethics_the-theater-in-which-god-has-chosen-to-m_1875468.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/thomas-c-oden-31137_ethics_the-theater-in-which-god-has-chosen-to-m_1875468.jpg) > ““The theater in which God has chosen to meet rational creatures quietly is the inward realm of conscience, moral reasoning, prayer, and study, especially study of the revealed Word.”” [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes the inner life of conscience, moral reasoning, prayer, and study as the arena where God meets rational beings. **In simple terms:** God meets humans in inner moral and spiritual life. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner spiritual disciplines. Themes faith reason conscience Mood contemplative inspirational Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal prayer - ethical decision making - theological study Key Concepts theology spiritual practice Questions to Reflect On - How does inner conscience reflect divine presence? - What practices strengthen this inner meeting? A Different Perspective May not resonate with non-religious readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-moral-869102/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Quietly Inward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quietly-inward-2615679/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theater God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-god-2615678/) ## Related quotes > [We cannot assume the injustice of any actions which only create offense, and especially as regards religion and morals. He who utters or does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-von-humboldt/we-cannot-assume-the-injustice-of-any-actions-which-only-create/) [Wilhelm von Humboldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-von-humboldt/) > [It is the theater God would have built if he had the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-geldzahler/it-is-the-theater-god-would-have-built-if-he-had-the-money/) [Henry Geldzahler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-geldzahler/) > [“Neither divine nor demonic, this world is the theater of God’s glory. Bound by no inner necessity or thirst for self-completion, the triune God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/neither-divine-nor-demonic-this-world-is-the-theater-of-god-s-glory/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [“To the accepted Christian tradition that man must be free to follow his conscience in moral matters if his actions are to be of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-a-hayek/to-the-accepted-christian-tradition-that-man-must-be-free-to-follow/) [Friedrich A. Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-a-hayek/) > [“There is a common tendency to turn off one's imagination at certain points and refuse to contemplate the possibility of having to do certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fraser/there-is-a-common-tendency-to-turn-off-one-s-imagination-at-certain/) [John Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fraser/) > [There is seemingly no biological benefit to acting with conscience; if there were, only moral individuals would survive and procreate. Sadly, we know that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/there-is-seemingly-no-biological-benefit-to-acting-with-conscience-if/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [The strongest feelings assigned to the conscience are not moral feelings at all; they express merely physical antipathies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/the-strongest-feelings-assigned-to-the-conscience-are-not-moral/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Whatever is done without ostentation, and without the people being witnesses of it, is, in my opinion, most praiseworthy: not that the public eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/whatever-is-done-without-ostentation-and-without-the-people-being/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) ## More by Thomas C. Oden > [“God’s holiness without God’s love would be unbearable. God’s love without God’s holiness would be unjust. God’s wisdom found a way to bring them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/god-s-holiness-without-god-s-love-would-be-unbearable-god-s-love/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“The faithful have no dread of using the traditional language of the church. Terms like incarnation and resurrection need to be explained, not avoided.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/the-faithful-have-no-dread-of-using-the-traditional-language-of-the/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“Into your hands, 0 Lord, we commit ourselves this day. Give to each one of us a watchful, a humble, and a diligent spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/into-your-hands-0-lord-we-commit-ourselves-this-day-give-to-each-one/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“If God absolutely and pretemporally decrees that particular persons shall be saved and others damned, apart from any cooperation of human freedom, then God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/if-god-absolutely-and-pretemporally-decrees-that-particular-persons/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“God's holiness is not an unloving holiness, and God's love is not an unholy love. It is only by keeping these two primary moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/god-s-holiness-is-not-an-unloving-holiness-and-god-s-love-is-not-an/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“The Spirit of God draws or leads the sinner from one phase to another, gradually, in proportion as one is found having a disposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/the-spirit-of-god-draws-or-leads-the-sinner-from-one-phase-to-another/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“Grace works ahead of us to draw us toward faith, to begin its work in us. Even the first fragile intuition of conviction of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/grace-works-ahead-of-us-to-draw-us-toward-faith-to-begin-its-work-in/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“Faith itself is an act of human willing enabled and disciplined by grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/faith-itself-is-an-act-of-human-willing-enabled-and-disciplined-by/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“Lord, inspire us to read your Scriptures and meditate upon them day and night. We beg you to give us real understanding of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/lord-inspire-us-to-read-your-scriptures-and-meditate-upon-them-day/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“BECAUSE OF PIETY’S PENCHANT for taking itself too seriously, theology does well to nurture a modest, unguarded sense of comedy. Some droll sensibility is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/because-of-piety-s-penchant-for-taking-itself-too-seriously-theology/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“Experiential sanctification is an ongoing process of daily rededication, reconsecration, mortification, and vivification of the whole person to God. It calls for believers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/experiential-sanctification-is-an-ongoing-process-of-daily/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“The church that weds itself to modernity is already a widow within postmodernity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/the-church-that-weds-itself-to-modernity-is-already-a-widow-within/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“Eternal God, the refuge of all your children, in our weakness you are our strength, in our darkness our light, in our sorrow our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/eternal-god-the-refuge-of-all-your-children-in-our-weakness-you-are/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“early modern Christianity is often portrayed as an essentially European religion. This is regrettable because classic Christianity has its pre-European roots in cultures that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/early-modern-christianity-is-often-portrayed-as-an-essentially/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) > [“Faith is not a meritorious cause of election, but it is constantly attested as the sole condition of salvation. Faith merely receives the merit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/faith-is-not-a-meritorious-cause-of-election-but-it-is-constantly/) [Thomas C. Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) [Explore all 16 Thomas C. Oden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-oden/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The theater in which God has chosen to meet rational creatures quietly is the inward realm of conscience, moral reasoning, prayer, and study, especially study of the revealed Word.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas C. 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