John Neville Figgis Quotes

1866–1919 England

John Neville Figgis (2 October 1866 – 13 April 1919) was an English historian, political philosopher, and Anglican priest and monk. He is known as the editor of much of Lord Acton's writings.

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Random John Neville Figgis quote

39 quotes

The Christian says that life is a good thing, but has been marred by sin; and suffers from the growing pains of youth.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

It is strange what an attraction the Christian Church still possesses even for men who scorn her claims.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

The test of a civilisation is in its characteristic culture and in the type of men and women who thrive best in it.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

Jean Bodin is, next to Machiavelli, the most important political writer of the sixteenth century.

Studies of Political Thought from Gershon to Grotius, 1414–1625 (1907)

In the struggle between liberty and authority the possession of a hostile printing press becomes of capital importance.

Studies of Political Thought from Gershon to Grotius, 1414–1625 (1907)

Political liberty is the residuary legatee of ecclesiastical animosities.

Studies of Political Thought from Gershon to Grotius, 1414–1625 (1907)

Machiavelli was always considering the practical problem, how is Italy to be saved?

Studies of Political Thought from Gershon to Grotius, 1414–1625 (1907)

Man is so made that he cannot be satisfied with less than the highest, and that he must be beaten down before he can be raised up.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

The Gospel is the freshest and most original thing in the world, while the tone of modern intellectualism, with all its culture, is at bottom commonplace and middle aged.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

The whole movement of the Christian Church may be a delusion, and then we are all in the dark, except that the darkness has been made visible by the pathetic splendour of Christianity.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

Christ does not reveal Himself to those who are satisfied. Why should He? They do not want Him.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

How far can the new wine of modern knowledge and changed ways of thought be poured into the old bottles of traditional religion?

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

How far are unjust laws to be obeyed? Need they be considered laws at all, if we understand St Thomas aright? Can any government exist or claim rights apart from the consent of the governed?

Studies of Political Thought from Gershon to Grotius, 1414–1625 (1907)

The universe contemplated by religion is by no means self-contained or self-sufficient, it is dependent for its origin and maintenance, as we are for daily bread and future hopes, upon the power and good-will of a being or beings of which science has no knowledge.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

Modern altruism in its varied forms may be traced not obscurely to Christian influence, although even ethically it is not identical therewith.

Our world is fonder of riches, perhaps, than ever it was, but I think that it is ceasing to believe in its idol. The danger is that it should cease to have any belief at all.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

It is not to revive of the corpse of past erudition that I have any desire, but rather to make more vivid the life of to-day, and to help us to envisage its problems with a more accurate perspective.

Studies of Political Thought from Gershon to Grotius, 1414–1625 (1907)

The object of Grotius was not to make men perfect or treat them as such, but to see whether there were not certain common duties generally felt as binding, if not always practised, and to set forth an ideal.

Studies of Political Thought from Gershon to Grotius, 1414–1625 (1907)

Religion without a Church is not really possible, for not only is man a social animal, but religion is essentially social. And more and more is the comparative study of religion making it clear that men are fundamentally religious.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

Apart from the Christian hope, we are in a state of chaos, only the more appalling that it seems to be hardly realised. The chaos is all the greater that it applies not only to fundamental doctrines, but to practical ideals.

Civilisation at the Cross Roads (1912)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: John Neville Figgis (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.