Religion is so frequently a source of confusion in political life, and so frequently dangerous to democracy, precisely because it introduces absolutes into the realm of relative values.

The prophet himself stands under the judgment which he preaches. If he does not know that, he is a false prophet.

Faith is the final triumph over incongruity, the final assertion of the meaningfulness of existence.

If we survive danger it steels our courage more than anything else.

The separation of church and state is necessary partly because if religion is good then the state shouldn't interfere with the religious vision or with the religious prophet. There must be a realm of truth beyond political competence, that's why there must be a separation of churches, but if religion is bad and a bad religion is one that gives an ultimate sanctity to some particular cause. Then religion mustn't interfere with the state - so one of the basic Democratic principles as we know it in America is the separation of church and state.

I think that when we believe that something is right, there's a serious ambivalence about it. On one hand, you say, because it's right, it must be victorious. On the other hand, you say, it's right whether it's victorious or not. And this is what I believe about a free society.

The churches that are most obviously democratic are most obviously given to race prejudice. I mean the churches that have absolute congregational control.