Sunday, September 7, 2003
Commemoration of Douglas Downes, Founder of the Society of Saint Francis, 1957

For the Platonic or Aristotelian philosophy it is of no importance whether Plato or Aristotle ever lived. For the mystical practice of an Indian, Persian, Chinese, or Neo-Platonic mystic it is a matter of indifference whether Rama, Buddha, Laotse, or Porphyrius are myths or not. The mystic has no personal relation to them. It is not here a question of somebody telling me the truth which of myself I cannot find, but of my finding an access to the depths of the world in the depths of my soul. And everywhere the tendency is to eliminate personality. Even where religion does not have this mystical character, it has no relation to an historical person, who communicates himself to me. That is the characteristic essence of the Christian faith alone. Even where a prophet plays the role of a mediator-of-divine-truth, as for example in [Islam], the religious act is not directed toward him ... but toward his teaching or message. But the Christian does not believe in the teaching of Jesus—which would not be Christian faith, but general religion—he believes in Christ Himself as being the Word of God.

... Emil Brunner (1889-1966), The Word and the World, London: Student Christian Movement Press, 1931, p. 20 (see the book; see also Ps. 22:30-31; Matt. 9:9; John 1:1; 20:31; Col. 1:15; more at Belief, Christ, Mystic, Philosophy, Prophet, Religion)

 
Compilation Copyright, 1996-2024, by Robert McAnally Adams,
        Curator, Christian Quotation of the Day,
        with Robert Douglas, principal contributor
Logo image Copyright 1996 by Shay Barsabe, of “Simple GIFs”, by kind permission.
Send comments to curator@cqod.com.

Last updated: 04/14/16

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