CHRISTIANITY AS A CIRCLE

'Christianity is not to be considered as a single point or a narrow, repetitive line, but as a circle which provides form but within which there is freedom to move in terms of understanding and expression. Christianity is a circle with definite limits, limits which tend to be like twin cliffs. We find ourselves in danger of falling off on one side or on the other; that is, we have to be careful not to avoid one sort of doctrinal error by backing off into the opposite one.

We must ask God to help us, and we must hep each other, not to fall off the cliffs. There is room for discussion within each circle, but we must not forget that there is a circle to be in.'

Francis A Schaeffer, The Church Before the Watching World, p.93.

DOCTRINE MATTERS

'There is no Christian doctrine that does not have a meaning in the existential, moment-by-moment, life. For example, the doctrine of the Trinity is affirmed in our Christian lives as we practise the reality, and the importance, or personality at this present moment. This is true both of the practice of personal relationship towards God and towards people.'

Francis A Schaeffer, The Church Before the Watching World, p.88.

YOU NEED GOD'S SPIRIT TO BE A BALANCED CHRISTIAN

'...in the flesh we can stress purity without love or we can stress the love of God without purity, but ...in the flesh we cannot stress both simultaneously. In order to exhibit both simultaneously, we must look moment by moment to the work of Christ, to the work of the Holy Spirit.'

Francis A Schaeffer, The Church Before the Watching World, p.45.

THE POINT OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

'We find that the man-woman relationship of marriage is repeatedly stressed in Scripture as a picture, an illustration, a type, of the wonder of the relationship of individual and Christ and the church of Christ.'

Francis A Schaeffer, The Church Before the Watching World, p.39.

CHRISTIAN WORD PLAY

'Historic Christianity and either the old or the new liberal theology are two separate religions with nothing in common except certain terms which they use with totally different meanings.'

Francis A Schaeffer, The Church Before the Watching World, p.35.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESUPPOSITIONS

'The real difference between liberalism and biblical Christianity is not a matter of scholarship but a number of presuppositions. Both the old and new liberalism operate on a set of presuppositions common to both of them, but different from those of historic, orthodox Christianity.'

Francis A Schaeffer, The Church Before the Watching World, p.12.

GOD SCREAMING WITH US

'It makes all the difference to know there's someone else screaming alongside you - and that's the point of the Incarnation...God came into the world and screamed alongside us.'
Susan Howatch, Absolute Truths, p.368.

BOOKS & MEMORY

'Every book holds a memory. When you hold a book in your hand, you access not only the contents of that book but the fragments of the previous selves that you were you read it.'

Cathy Rentzenbrink, Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books, p.225.

PRO-CHOICE IS NOT PRO-WOMEN

'Throughout history the vast majority of babies who have died by abortion (before birth) or infanticide (after birth) have been girls. This is still true globally today. The idea that being "pro-choice" (in favor of abortion means) being pro-women does not fit with this reality.'

Rebecca McLaughlin, 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity, p.141.

THE PERFECT MAN

'Some people think real men don't cry. But Jesus cried. Some people think real men sleep with lots of women. But Jesus never even had a girlfriend. Some people think real men don't stand for insults. But Jesus took insults all day long. He defended the weak, but he wouldn't fight back to defend himself. Some people think real men don't cook or care for kids. But Jesus did both these things. If we want to know what it means to be a perfect man, we must look at Jesus.'

Rebecca McLaughlin, 10 Questions Every Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity, p.138.