4363 quotes by clergymen for you to enjoy

Many of the characters who appear in the pages of the Fourth Gospel are literary creations of its author and were never intended to be understood as real people, who actually lived in history. John Shelby Spong

I was baptized as an infant. I was confirmed as an adolescent; I was active in my church's youth group and in my university student group. I was married before the church's altar; trained at the church's seminaries, ordained deacon and priest at age 24. John Shelby Spong

Age Youth Church Before Group Active Married Adolescent Student Priest Deacon Altar Infant Trained Ordained Confirmed Baptized University

I spend my life studying that book, and every book I've written has in some sense been a book about the Bible, and that's what I mean by reclaiming its value and its essence for a world that no longer treats it literally and no longer reads it traditionally. John Shelby Spong

Jesus represents the possibilities of a new dimension of existence that transcends all the boundaries that restrict us from opening ourselves to God and allowing this source of love to flow through us. John Shelby Spong

Love God Dimension Possibilities Ourselves Restrict Through Allowing Boundaries New Opening Source Existence Represents Transcends Us Jesus Flow

In the first gospel, Mark, the risen Christ appears physically to no one, but by the time we come to the last gospel, John, Thomas is invited to feel the nail prints in Christ's hands and feet and the spear wound in his side. John Shelby Spong

Time Christ First Mark Side Thomas Wound John Risen Physically No-One Nail Feel Invited Feet Come Gospel Prints His Hands Spear Appears Last By The Time

Perhaps the most telling witness against the claim of accurate history for the Bible comes when we read the earliest narrative of the crucifixion found in Mark's gospel and discover that it is not based on eyewitness testimony at all. John Shelby Spong

History Bible Witness Mark Claim Telling Crucifixion Perhaps Most Read Gospel Narrative Testimony Discover Accurate Against Found Based Earliest

To this end the greatest asset of a school is the personality of the teacher. John Strachan

Teacher Personality School Greatest Greatest Asset End Asset

The name of Jesus, like a secret charm, awakened similar emotions in the hearts of all the converts, and called immediately into action every feeling of moral loveliness, and every desire of dutiful obedience, which constitute Christian purity. John Strachan

Obedience Emotions Feeling Action Christian Every Secret Immediately Moral Constitute Charm Similar Purity Name Like Hearts Dutiful Loveliness Which Converts Awakened Jesus Desire

When we contemplate the heroes of Christianity, and compare our feeble efforts with their astonishing performance and self devotion, we should fall into despair, were there not a few softening features, by which they are brought back to the ranks of humanity. John Strachan

The nations were awakened from the sleep of death, as the words of eternal life flowed from the Apostles' lips, - the temples of superstition were shut or destroyed, and churches were planted in every part of the civilized world. John Strachan

Whenever the names of the disciples are enumerated in the New Testament, St. Peter's stands at their head. John Strachan

Head New Names Disciples Testament New Testament Whenever Stands Peter

The tortures of present death disturb him not, but the recollection of his fall, fills him with a holy sorrow. John Strachan

Death Fall Recollection Disturb Sorrow Him His Holy Fills Present

Trusting in Christ, we may boldly join in the combat, and enlist ourselves among that disinterested band, who fight not for human ambition, or human praise, but for the honour of our Saviour, and the salvation of men. John Strachan

In applying this subject to the melancholy event, which has deprived this Diocese of its venerable Bishop, we presume not to compare him with the blessed Apostle, of whom we have been speaking. John Strachan

Blessed Melancholy Bishop Presume Venerable Him Been Subject Which Deprived Apostle Speaking Compare Whom Event Applying

In the scattered settlements of this Diocese, schools and Churches are of necessity for many years few in number, and multitudes of both sexes are growing up in great ignorance. John Strachan

Great Ignorance Few Settlements Churches Sexes Scattered Both Schools Years Up Many Growing Growing Up Multitudes Necessity Number

At the first general meeting of this Corporation in 1820, his Lordship presided; a circumstance, which may well be considered an era in the history of the Church of Upper Canada. John Strachan

History Church First Meeting Considered Corporation Circumstance General Well Era Lordship His Canada Upper May The History Of Which

As a preacher of the Gospel, our late venerable Bishop must have been heard, to form an adequate conception of his superior excellence and commanding eloquence. John Strachan

Superior Eloquence Late Our Bishop Adequate Must Excellence Venerable Conception Gospel Been His Commanding Heard Preacher Form

With the requests of some he complied, and has published a discourse, delivered before the Society for recovering drowned persons, which may be justly pronounced one of the most beautiful and interesting sermons in the English language. John Strachan

Beautiful Most Beautiful Language Before Society Some Recovering Delivered He Drowned Most Discourse May Which Interesting Justly Persons Requests English English Language Sermons Published

At an expense trifling indeed, compared to what she frequently spends upon unprofitable contests, she might place the moral world on a new foundation, and to rise the pinnacle of moral glory. John Strachan

World Indeed Moral Trifling Rise New She Glory Frequently Contests Pinnacle Expense Place Might Compared Foundation

It is an excellent rule to be observed in all disputes, that men should give soft words and hard arguments; that they should not so much strive to vex as to convince each other. John Wilkins

Words Men Argument Other Rule Strive Give Excellent Observed Much Convince Should Hard Each Disputes Soft

All this time I lived with my parents, and wrought on the plantation; and having had schooling pretty well for a planter, I used to improve myself in winter evenings, and other leisure times. John Woolman

Time Myself Winter Parents Other Pretty Having Had Schooling Wrought Well Times Improve Leisure Used Plantation Planter Evenings Lived

I find that to be a fool as to worldly wisdom, and to commit my cause to God, not fearing to offend men, who take offence at the simplicity of truth, is the only way to remain unmoved at the sentiments of others. John Woolman

I then wrought at my trade as a tailor; carefully attended meetings for worship and discipline; and found an enlargement of gospel love in my mind, and therein a concern to visit Friends in some of the back settlements of Pennsylvania and Virginia. John Woolman

Love Discipline Mind Carefully Virginia Settlements Back Meetings Worship Visit Pennsylvania Some Tailor Attended Wrought Concern Gospel Trade Friends Then Therein Found Enlargement

Quotes by clergymen