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Stanley Hauerwas

Stanley Hauerwas Quotes

Theologian

Stanley Hauerwas, born on July 24, 1940, is an American theologian known for his work in Christian ethics, social theory, and political philosophy. His research focuses on the intersection of these fields, and he is renowned for his emphasis on Christian pacifism and embodiment. Hauerwas's work has had a profound impact on contemporary theology and social theory.

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All World Church Jesus People Christian Doe Christianity Ifs Christ Knows Saint Social Stories Thinking Way Believe Given Has Beens Holy Humility

Famous Stanley Hauerwas Quotes

“He explained, however, that the Eucharist is about the unity of the church. If a majority vote determined the matter, then the unity would be betrayed. He noted that some people in the church might not be ready to make this move. He would call a meeting, inviting those who might have reservations to come and express their worries … If they strongly dissented, we would have to wait.”

Leadership Church Humility Vote Patience Unity Submission Dissent Eucharist

Book:Hannah's Child: A Theologian's Memoir

Source: Hannah's Child: A Theologian's Memoir

“We would like a church that again asserts that God, not nations, rules the world, that the boundaries of God's kingdom transcend those of Caesar, and that the main political task of the church is the formation of people who see clearly the cost of discipleship and are willing to pay the price.”

Church Mission Discipleship Kingdom Of God Missional Church Nationhood

Book:Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony

Source: Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony

“I have come to think that the challenge confronting Christians is not that we do not believe what we say, though that can be a problem, but that what we say we believe does not seem to make any difference for either the church or the world.”

Thinking World Believe Doe Problem Seems Christian Challenges Differences Church Confronting

Book:Hannah's Child: A Theologian's Memoir

Source: Hannah's Child: A Theologian's Memoir

“The church is constituted as a new people who have been gathered from the nations to remind the world that we are in fact one people. Gathering, therefore, is an eschatological act as it is the foretaste of the unity of the communion of the saints.”

People World Has Beens Facts Nations Church Unity Saint Communion Gathering

Book:In Good Company: The Church as Polis

Source: In Good Company: The Church as Polis

“The most creative social strategy we have to offer is the church. Here we show the world a manner of life the world can never achieve through social coercion or governmental action. We serve the world by showing it something that it is not, namely, a place where God is forming a family out of strangers.”

World Shows Action Social Church Creative Achieve Offers Strategy Stranger Coercion

Author:Stanley Hauerwas

“Consider the problem of taking showers with Christians. They are, after all, constantly going on about the business of witnessing in the hopes of making converts to their God and church. Would you want to shower with such people? You never know when they might try to baptize you.”

People Knows Want Trying Problem Might Christian Church Showers

Book:The Hauerwas Reader

Source: The Hauerwas Reader

“The church doesn’t have a social strategy, the church is a social strategy.”

Religion Social Church Christianity Strategy Theologian

Author:Stanley Hauerwas

“Church growth strategies are the death gurgle of a church that has lost its way.”

Way Lost Growth Church Strategy Church Growth

Author:Stanley Hauerwas

“I am a Congregationalist with Catholic sensibilities. Which probably explains how I ended up in a Episcopal church.”

Church Catholic Sensibility

Book:Approaching the End: Eschatological Reflections on Church, Politics, and Life

Source: Approaching the End: Eschatological Reflections on Church, Politics, and Life

“Another hallmark of Christianity is that salvation is not individualistic-it's not something one person receives for himself or herself. Salvation is the reign of God. It is a political alternative to the way the world is constituted. That's a very important part of the story that has been lost to accounts of salvation that are centered in the individual. But without an understanding that salvation is the reign of God, the need for the church to mediate salvation makes no sense at all.”

World Way Needs Persons Has Beens Important Stories Political Individual Lost Understanding Church Christianity Accounts Salvation Alternatives Reign Hallmark Individualistic

Book:The Hauerwas Reader

Source: The Hauerwas Reader