--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cities have more “image of God” per…" description: "\"Cities have more “image of God” per square inch than anywhere else, and so we must not idealize the country as somehow a more spiritual place than the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/timothy-keller-240_cities_cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square_1468661.png" --- # Cities have more “image of God” per square inch than… ![“Cities have more “image of God” per square inch than anywhere else, and so we must not idealize the country as somehow a more spiritual place than the city.” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/timothy-keller-240_cities_cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square_1468661.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/timothy-keller-240_cities_cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square_1468661.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/timothy-keller-240_cities_cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square_1468661.png) > “Cities have more “image of God” per square inch than anywhere else, and so we must not idealize the country as somehow a more spiritual place than the city.” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Urban environments contain more religious symbols per area, but that doesn't make them inherently more spiritual than rural settings. **In simple terms:** Cities have many religious images, yet aren't necessarily more spiritual. Key Takeaway Avoid assuming spirituality based on surroundings. Themes urbanization spirituality perception Mood analytical critical Type theoretical observational When to use this quote - city planning - religious studies - personal faith exploration Key Concepts symbolic density cultural context Questions to Reflect On - Do symbols always reflect true spirituality? - How does environment shape your sense of the sacred? A Different Perspective Symbolic presence doesn't guarantee deeper spiritual experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Cities Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities-image-863077/) [Country Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-spiritual-2735575/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [God image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-image/) [Idealize Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealize-country-5323768/) [Inches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inches/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-place-708744/) [Squares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/squares/) ## Related quotes > [In cities you have more image of God per square inch than anywhere else on Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-cities-you-have-more-image-of-god-per-square-inch-than-anywhere/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Have you not learned that not stocks or bonds or stately houses, or products of the mill or field are our country? It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-harrison/have-you-not-learned-that-not-stocks-or-bonds-or-stately-houses-or/) [Benjamin Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-harrison/) > [Mount Everest is a very spiritual place, it's a beautiful mountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-pugh/mount-everest-is-a-very-spiritual-place-it-s-a-beautiful-mountain/) [Lewis Pugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-pugh/) > [The most spiritual place you can be in your life is when youre being very real, when youre not allowing everybody and everything to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-brooks/the-most-spiritual-place-you-can-be-in-your-life-is-when-youre-being/) [Meredith Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-brooks/) > [“The fresh, pungent summer smells of the forest bring me home to the natural, forgotten spiritual place deep inside me. The part of me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-g-foster/the-fresh-pungent-summer-smells-of-the-forest-bring-me-home-to-the/) [Vanessa G. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-g-foster/) > [The desert is a spiritual place, we vaguely understand, and the sea the mere playground of our hedonism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/the-desert-is-a-spiritual-place-we-vaguely-understand-and-the-sea-the/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [A museum is a spiritual place. People lower their voices when they get close to art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-botta/a-museum-is-a-spiritual-place-people-lower-their-voices-when-they-get/) [Mario Botta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-botta/) > [I'm always in Jamaica in my fantasies. We have a home there, and it's my special spiritual place where I get re-nourished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariette-hartley/i-m-always-in-jamaica-in-my-fantasies-we-have-a-home-there-and-it-s/) [Mariette Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariette-hartley/) > [“Trust your instincts. They will not fail you. The guiding of those instincts comes from a spiritual place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-skiff/trust-your-instincts-they-will-not-fail-you-the-guiding-of-those/) [Jennifer Skiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-skiff/) > [Healing of every sort-physical, psychological, energetic, and spiritual-can take place over time or happen in the twinkling of an eye. That our loved ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-lawson/healing-of-every-sort-physical-psychological-energetic-and-spiritual/) [Lee Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-lawson/) > [Work is spiritual. It is a place where we have the opportunity for spiritual growth. Often, these opportunities come from the 'how' of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-wilson-schaef/work-is-spiritual-it-is-a-place-where-we-have-the-opportunity-for/) [Anne Wilson Schaef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-wilson-schaef/) > [The most spiritual place you can be in your life is when you're being very real, when you're not allowing everybody and everything to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-brooks/the-most-spiritual-place-you-can-be-in-your-life-is-when-you-re-being/) [Meredith Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-brooks/) > [My whole entry into astronomy started from a spiritual place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-porco/my-whole-entry-into-astronomy-started-from-a-spiritual-place/) [Carolyn Porco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-porco/) > [Honor the image of God. Human beings are not accidents, but creations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/honor-the-image-of-god-human-beings-are-not-accidents-but-creations/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The image of God carries with it the right not to be mistreated or harmed… Regardless of their record or character, all human beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-image-of-god-carries-with-it-the-right-not-to-be-mistreated-or/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [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/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) [James Cross Giblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cross-giblin/) > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Cities have more “image of God” per square inch than anywhere else, and so we must not idealize the country as somehow a more spiritual place than the city.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Timothy Keller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square-inch-than-anywhere-else-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square-inch-than-anywhere-else-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/timothy-keller-240_cities_cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square_1468661.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/timothy-keller-240_cities_cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square_1468661.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a69/timothy-keller-240_cities_cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square_1468661.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cities have more “image of God” per square inch than anywhere else, and so we must not idealize the country…” — Timothy Keller", "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": "Timothy Keller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Cities have more “image of God”...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square-inch-than-anywhere-else-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/cities-have-more-image-of-god-per-square-inch-than-anywhere-else-and/#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 } } ] } ```