Quotes by "Paul Tillich"

The first duty of love is to listen.

"You are accepted!" ... accepted by that which is greater than you and the name of which you do not know. Do not ask the name now, perhaps you will know it later. Do not try to do anything, perhaps later you will do much. Do not seek for anything, do not perform anything, do not intend anything. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted.

The character of human life, like the character of the human condition, like the character of all life, is "ambiguity": the inseparable mixture of good and evil, the true and false, the creative and destructive forces - both individual and social.

The passion for truth is silenced by answers which have the weight of undisputed authority.

The joy about our work is spoiled when we perform it not because of what we produce but because of the pleasure with which it can provide us, or the pain against which it can protect us.

Astonishment is the root of philosophy.

Man is able to decide for or against reason, he is able to create beyond reason or to destroy below reason

Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.

Sometimes I think it is my mission to bring faith to the faithless, and doubt to the faithful.

...history has shown that the most terrible crimes against love have been committed in the name of fanatically defended doctrines.

Faith as the state of being ultimately concerned implies love, namely, the desire and urge toward the reunion of the seperated.

Doubt is the necessary tool of knowledge.

The awareness of the ambiguity of one's highest achievements (as well as one's deepest failures) is a definite symptom of maturity.

Neurosis is the way of avoiding non-being by avoiding being.

Language... has created the word 'loneliness' to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word 'solitude' to express the glory of being alone.

Our language has wisely sensed the two sides of being alone. It has created the word loneliness to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word solitude to express the glory of being alone.

Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone and solitude expresses the glory of being alone.

Faith is the state of being ultimately concerned.

The courage to be is rooted in the God who appears when God has disappeared in the anxiety of doubt.

Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the meaning of life is on the verge of an act of faith.