--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In seminary he had been taught that God…" description: "\"In seminary he had been taught that God had completely stopped any overt communication with moderns, preferring to have them only listen to and follow ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/william-p-young-3038_authority_in-seminary-he-had-been-taught-that-god_2509725.jpg" --- # In seminary he had been taught that God had completely… ![“In seminary he had been taught that God had completely stopped any overt communication with moderns, preferring to have them only listen to and follow sacred Scripture, properly interpreted, of course. God's voice had been reduced to paper, and even that paper had to be moderated and deciphered by…” quote by William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/william-p-young-3038_authority_in-seminary-he-had-been-taught-that-god_2509725.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/william-p-young-3038_authority_in-seminary-he-had-been-taught-that-god_2509725.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/william-p-young-3038_authority_in-seminary-he-had-been-taught-that-god_2509725.jpg) > “In seminary he had been taught that God had completely stopped any overt communication with moderns, preferring to have them only listen to and follow sacred Scripture, properly interpreted, of course. God's voice had been reduced to paper, and even that paper had to be moderated and deciphered by the proper authorities and intellects. It seemed that direct communication with God was something exclusively for the ancients and uncivilized, while educated Westerner's access to God was mediated and controlled by the intelligentsia. Nobody wanted God in a box, just in a book.” [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine communication is mediated by institutions, limiting personal experience. **In simple terms:** God is often accessed through texts. Key Takeaway Seek personal spiritual insight. Themes religion mediation authority Mood contemplative questioning Type theological literary When to use this quote - personal prayer - academic study - interfaith dialogue - secular counseling Key Concepts Theology interpretation spirituality Questions to Reflect On - Can personal experience coexist with doctrine? - What role should authority play? A Different Perspective Institutional control can suppress individual faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Communication with god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication-with-god/) [Direct communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct-communication/) [God'S Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-voice/) [Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect/) [Sacred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacred/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [“God’s voice has been reduced to paper, and even that paper had to be moderated and deciphered by the proper authorities and intellects. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/god-s-voice-has-been-reduced-to-paper-and-even-that-paper-had-to-be/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [All the various component parts of the Hebrew worship subserve this great purpose, the bringing of man into communication with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samson-raphael-hirsch/all-the-various-component-parts-of-the-hebrew-worship-subserve-this/) [Samson Raphael Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samson-raphael-hirsch/) > [ “\[W\]e need to remind ourselves that although prayer is a very personal and private communication with God, pouring out our repentance and sorrow for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/w-e-need-to-remind-ourselves-that-although-prayer-is-a-very-personal/) [Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/) > [We need not just one flash of light and comfort, but we need the continuing blessing of communication with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/we-need-not-just-one-flash-of-light-and-comfort-but-we-need-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [“Intimate communication with God will prevent us from lighting our common will on the alter of His holy purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisa-hope-wagner/intimate-communication-with-god-will-prevent-us-from-lighting-our/) [Alisa Hope Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisa-hope-wagner/) > [“There is no communication with God without communication with God’s people”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-communication-with-god-without-communication-with-god-s/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [You must learn to wrestle against the things that hinder your communication with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/you-must-learn-to-wrestle-against-the-things-that-hinder-your/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [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/) > [Thank God for the reality for which we were created, a moment-by-moment communication with God himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/thank-god-for-the-reality-for-which-we-were-created-a-moment-by/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [When I perform, I always opt for communication with God, and in pursuit of communicating with God, you can enter some very dangerous territory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/when-i-perform-i-always-opt-for-communication-with-god-and-in-pursuit/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Communication with God is vital to a vibrant relationship with him. We will never really know God in an intimate, personal relationship if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/communication-with-god-is-vital-to-a-vibrant-relationship-with-him-we/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [To whom much is given shall much be required.2 In the new covenant we have been given such an awesome privilege to have Gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goddey-wilson/to-whom-much-is-given-shall-much-be-required-2-in-the-new-covenant-we/) [GODDEY WILSON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goddey-wilson/) > [“As de Beauvoir put it, religion had given men a God like themselves--a God exclusively male in imagery, which legitimized and sealed their power.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/as-de-beauvoir-put-it-religion-had-given-men-a-god-like-themselves-a/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [I am persuaded, from all the facts that have come to me, that it would have been possible, if we had functioned as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-reuben-clark/i-am-persuaded-from-all-the-facts-that-have-come-to-me-that-it-would/) [J. Reuben Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-reuben-clark/) > [In my schoolboy days I had no aversion to slavery. I was not aware there was anything wrong about it. No-one arraigned it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-my-schoolboy-days-i-had-no-aversion-to-slavery-i-was-not-aware/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by William P. Young > [I don't want my kids growing up with the image of God that I had -- Plato's white grandfatherly god -- because that god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-don-t-want-my-kids-growing-up-with-the-image-of-god-that-i-had/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Because you continue to inhabit and believe your metaphors, you cannot see what is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/because-you-continue-to-inhabit-and-believe-your-metaphors-you-cannot/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“Religion must use law to empower itself and control the people who they need in order to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/religion-must-use-law-to-empower-itself-and-control-the-people-who/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Once you have hierarchy you need rules to protect and administer it, and then you need law and the enforcement of the rules, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/once-you-have-hierarchy-you-need-rules-to-protect-and-administer-it/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“(Jesus speaking) "An awful lot of what is done in my name has nothing to do with me and is often, even if unintentional,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-speaking-an-awful-lot-of-what-is-done-in-my-name-has-nothing-to/) [William P. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Relationships are never about power, and one way to avoid the will to hold power over another is to chose to limit to onself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/relationships-are-never-about-power-and-one-way-to-avoid-the-will-to/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [It is my desire and intent to trust the multi-layered good purposes of God than in what humans fabricate out of their need and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/it-is-my-desire-and-intent-to-trust-the-multi-layered-good-purposes/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Jesus was always challenging the dogma of religion. So, you know, it's not like I'm out there by myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/jesus-was-always-challenging-the-dogma-of-religion-so-you-know-it-s/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [If anything matters, then everything matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/if-anything-matters-then-everything-matters/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [I don't just want a piece of you and a piece of your life. Even if you were able, which you are not, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/i-don-t-just-want-a-piece-of-you-and-a-piece-of-your-life-even-if-you/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/trust-is-the-fruit-of-a-relationship-in-which-you-know-you-are-loved/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [Something in the heart of most human beings simply cannot abide pain inflicted on the innocent, especially children. Even broken men serving in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/something-in-the-heart-of-most-human-beings-simply-cannot-abide-pain/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) [Explore all 138 William P. Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. 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