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man is free, in so far as he has the power of contradicting himself and his essential nature. Man is free even from his freedom that is, he can surrender his humanity

Paul Tillich

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Paul Tillich
Age: 79 †
Born: 1886
Born: August 20
Died: 1965
Died: October 22
Philosopher
Theologian
University Teacher
Paul Johannes Oskar Tillich
Paul Johannes Tillich
Free
Contradicting
Nature
Existentialism
Power
Existential
Even
Surrender
Men
Essential
Essentials
Humanity
Freedom

More quotes by Paul Tillich

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The anxiety of fate is conquered by the self-affirmation of the individual as an infinitely significant microcosmic representation of the universe .
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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.
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The existential attitude is one of involvement in contrast to a merely theoretical or detached attitude. Existential in this sense can be defined as participating in a situation, especially a cognitive situation, with the whole of one's existence.
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Existential anxiety of doubt drives the person toward the creation of certitude of systems of meaning, which are supported by tradition and authority. Neurotic anxiety builds a narrow castle of certitude which can be defended with the utmost certainty.
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He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being.
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In this respect fundamentalism has demonic traits. It destroys the humble honesty of the search for truth, it splits the conscience of its thoughtful adherents, and it makes them fanatical because they are forced to suppress elements of truth of which they are dimly aware
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Being human means asking the questions of one's own being and living under the impact of the answers given to this question. And, conversely, being human means receiving answers to the questions of one's own being and asking questions under the impact of the answers.
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Fear is the absence of faith.
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In the courageous standing of uncertainty, faith shows most visibly its dynamic character.
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We are known in a depth of darkness through which we ourselves do not even dare to look. And at the same time, we are seen in a height of a fullness which surpasses our highest vision.
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Accept the fact that you are accepted, despite the fact that you are unacceptable.
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Faith is an act of a finite being who is grasped by, and turned to, the infinite.
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Genuine forgiveness is participation, reunion overcoming the powers of estrangement. . . We cannot love unless we have accepted forgiveness, and the deeper our experience of forgiveness is, the greater is our love.
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The abundance of a grateful heart gives honor to God even if it does not turn to Him in words. An unbeliever who is filled with thanks for his very being has ceased to be an unbeliever.
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Theology moves back and forth between two poles, the eternal truth of its foundations and the temporal situation in which the eternal truth must be received.
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The fatal pedagogical error is to throw answers like stones at the heads of those who have not yet asked the questions.
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Man and nature belong together in their created glory – in their tragedy and in their salvation.
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For love ... is the blood of life, the power of reunion in the separated.
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The affirmation of one's essential being in spite of desires and anxieties creates joy.
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The awareness of the ambiguity of one's highest achievements, as well as one's deepest failures is a definite symptom of maturity.
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