Many now veer away from the time-honored use of the term Father as applied to the Christian God ... This difficulty rests mainly, I believe, on failure to distinguish between a symbol and a definition.

Prayer is essentially a process by which ideals are enabled to become operative in our lives. It may be more than this, but it is at least this.

The sooner the doctrine of original sin disappears, the better it is for theology.

the most common type of pessimism is neither philosophical nor religious: it is the pessimism of thwarted desire. ... It is the cynical sneer of the man who, seeking roses, finds only ashes.

religion is perhaps its own worst enemy. For religion, masquerading under the guise of archaic creeds, and impossible literalisms, and ecclesiasticism indifferent to human needs, has brought about an inevitable and in many respects wholesome revulsion.

the truth is seldom found in extremes. Central truths can be revolutionary if put to work.

Prayer is the opening of the soul to God so that he can speak to us.