“In New England, especially, [faith] is like sex. It's very personal. You don't bring it out and talk about it.” Quote by Frederick Buechner
“I think most people, if I asked, would say, "Yes, of course I believe." But I think for a great many of them it doesn't really make much difference in terms of either what they do with their lives or with their own inner well-being. They believe because so did grandfather, and that's the same church they've been going to all these years.” PeopleIfsThinkingYearsBelieveWellsCoursesI BelieveTermDifferencesChurchWell BeingGreat MenGrandfather Author:Frederick Buechner
“People will buy snake oil from anybody who seems to be selling it in a persuasive way.” PeopleWaySeemsOilSellingSnakesPersuasive Author:Frederick Buechner
“I am such a person of words. I've spent so much of my life trying to get it right, say it right, say it eloquently, say it truthfully, say it honestly, that when I hear it said in ways that none of those adverbs would describe I find myself so repelled that it almost shuts my mind off.” WayTryingMindPersonsSaidHonestlyAdverbs Author:Frederick Buechner
“The preaching is part of the reason I don't go to church. Plus, I don't know, it was never part of my tradition.” KnowsReasonChurchTraditionPlusPreaching Author:Frederick Buechner
“For some people, going to church is going home. In a very profound sense, I would say the same thing. Home is where Christ is.” PeopleHomeChristChurchProfoundGoing HomeGoing To Church Author:Frederick Buechner
“What gets me back to church, I think, is thinking maybe this time that question "Is it true?" will be answered, not just in terms of somebody saying, "Yes, it's true," but something will happen in a sermon or maybe shuffling up to the Eucharist, or in the old lady who's sitting beside me with a Bible - maybe something will happen which will show me that it's true. So I go back thinking, maybe this time I'll be lucky.” ThinkingShowsHappensTermChurchLuckySittingShow MeSermonsEucharistOld LadySaying YesShuffling Author:Frederick Buechner
“My prayer is spasmodic, occasional, desperate. It has a great deal to do with my children's physical well-being - that when they're traveling in the air the plane not crash, things like that.” WellsChildrenPrayerDealsAirWell BeingPlanesMy ChildrenDesperateCrashOccasional Author:Frederick Buechner
“I pray for people I love when they are sick. I pray that way.” PeopleWayPrayingSickI Pray Author:Frederick Buechner
“Prayers out of, very often, not the most religious part of me, but the most anxious part of me, the most desperately loving, fearing part of me.” ReligiousPrayerAnxious Author:Frederick Buechner
“I'm a hopeless prayer. I think somewhere in there I spend a great deal of time at it.” ThinkingDealsPrayingHopeless Author:Frederick Buechner