Austin Farrer Quotes

• It is commonly said that if rational argument is so seldom the cause of conviction, philosophical apologists must largely be wasting their shot. The premise is true, but the conclusion does not follow. For though argument does not create conviction, the lack of it destroys belief. What seems to be proved may not be embraced; but what no one shows the ability to defend is quickly abandoned. Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish.

  Austin Farrer

  Philosophical, May, Causes

  19 Copy quote

• Faith begins where religious pretension ends

  Austin Farrer

  Religious, Ends, Pretension

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• What no one shows the ability to defend is quickly abandoned. Rational argument does not create belief, but it maintains a climate in which belief may flourish.

  Austin Farrer

  Climate, Doe, May

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• ...the best figurative poetry speaks not to the frivolous intellect, but (if anything does) straight to the heart; and does it better than plain prose. There seems then to be something which is better said with metaphor than without, which goes straighter to its mark by going crooked, and hits its aim exactly by flying off at tangents.

  Austin Farrer

  Heart, Flying, Doe

  Austin Farrer (2012). “Reflective Faith: Essays in Philosophical Theology”, p.25, Wipf and Stock Publishers

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• When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of them and to adhere nakedly to the imageless truth of God.

  Austin Farrer

  Goes On, Praying, Invisible

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• Religion is more like a response to a friend than it is like obedience to an expert.

  Austin Farrer

  Religion, Experts, Obedience

  Austin Farrer (2006). “The Truth-seeking Heart: Austin Farrer and His Writings”, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation

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• One of the silliest of all discussions is the question whether God is personal-it would be more useful to inquire whether ice is frozen.

  Austin Farrer

  Ice, Would Be, Frozen

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• 'Knowledge, without common sense,' says Lee, is 'folly; without method, it is waste; without kindness, it is fanaticism; without religion, it is death.' But with common sense, it is wisdom with method, it is power; with charity, it is beneficence; with religion, it is virtue, and life, and peace.

  Austin Farrer

  Life, Peace, Kindness

  7 Copy quote

• Christ does not save us by acting a parable of divine love; he acts the parable of divine love by saving us. That is the Christian faith.

  Austin Farrer

  Christian, Acting, Doe

  "Faith and Logic: Oxford Essays in Philosophical Theology". Book by Basil Mitchell, p. 99, 1957.

  52 Copy quote

• A climate in which belief may flourish

  Austin Farrer

  May, Climate, Belief

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• The crucial revelatory images that express 'the thought of Christ' are present in scripture and reinforced in worship.

  Austin Farrer

  Scripture, Worship, Christ

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• The notion of God is the notion of richness without accident

  Austin Farrer

  Notion, Richness, Accidents

  4 Copy quote

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