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Authority Quote by William Ralph Inge

“The strongest wish of a vast number of earnest men and women to-day is for a basis of religious belief which shall rest, not upon tradition or external authority or historical evidence, but upon the ascertainable facts of human experience. The craving for immediacy, which we have seen to be…” quote by William Ralph Inge
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“The strongest wish of a vast number of earnest men and women to-day is for a basis of religious belief which shall rest, not upon tradition or external authority or historical evidence, but upon the ascertainable facts of human experience. The craving for immediacy, which we have seen to be characteristic of all mysticism, now takes the form of a desire to establish the validity of the God-consciousness as a normal part of the healthy inner life.”

William Ralph Inge

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Basis of Religious Belief, 1915

Advocates grounding faith in observable human experience rather than tradition or authority.

In simple terms: Faith should be based on human experience, not tradition.

Key Takeaway

Seek evidence in everyday life.

Themes

faith experience skepticism modernity

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • personal reflection
  • academic discourse
  • interfaith dialogue

Key Concepts

empiricism humanism spirituality

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can personal experience inform universal belief?
  • What limits exist when dismissing tradition?
A Different Perspective

May overlook deeper metaphysical aspects.

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