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Marilynne Robinson

Marilynne Robinson Quotes

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Famous Marilynne Robinson Quotes

“Theologians talk about a prevenient grace that precedes grace itself and allows us to accept it. I think there must also be a prevenient courage that allows us to be brave - that is, to acknowledge that there is more beauty than our eyes can bear, that precious things have been put into our hands and to do nothing to honor them is to do great harm. And therefore, this courage allows us, as the old men said, to make ourselves useful. It allows us to be generous, which is another way of saying exactly the same thing.”

ThinkingMenWayHas BeensSaidHandsEyeAcceptingGraceBearsHonorBraveHarmAcknowledgeGenerousOld ManTheologianBe BraveAnother WayStewardshipPrecious Things
Book:Gilead: A Novel
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“That's the strangest thing about this life, about being in the ministry. People change the subject when they see you coming. And then sometimes those very same people come into your study and tell you the most remarkable things. There's a lot under the surface of life, everyone knows that. A lot of malice and dread and guilt, and so much loneliness, where you wouldn't really expect to find it, either.”

PeopleKnowsSometimesStudySubjectsLonelinessGuiltSurfaceThis LifeRemarkableDreadMinistryMalice
Book:Gilead: A Novel
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“To recognize our bias toward error should teach us modesty and reflection, and to forgive it should help us avoid the inhumanity of thinking we ourselves are not as fallible as those who, in any instance, seem most at fault. Science can give us knowledge, but it cannot give us wisdom. Nor can religion, until it puts aside nonsense and distraction and becomes itself again.”

ThinkingGivingShouldHelpingSeemsTeachReflectionForgivingErrorsFaultsInstanceNonsenseDistractionModestyBiasInhumanity
Author:Marilynne Robinson
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“If these laws [in the Bible] belonged to any other ancient culture we would approach them very differently. We need not bother to reject the code of Hammurabi. Presumably it is because Moses is still felt to make some claim on us that this project of discrediting his law is persisted in with such energy. The unscholarly character of the project may derive from the supposed familiarity of the subject.”

IfsNeedsMayStillsCharacterLawCultureEnergyFeltSubjectsProjectsApproachClaimsAncientCodeBotherRejectsFamiliarityMoses
Author:Marilynne Robinson
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