All this talk about atheistic materialism and God-fearing American I think is beside the point; it's a rather vapid form of religion.

Life is a battle between faith and reason in which each feeds upon the other, drawing sustenance from it and destroying it.

Civilization depends upon the vigorous pursuit of the highest values by people who are intelligent enough to know that their values are qualified by their interests and corrupted by their prejudices.

Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness.

Where, but in the simplicity of the Gospel, can you hear about both the dignity of man and the misery of man?

Goodness, armed with power, is corrupted; and pure love without power is destroyed.

Humour is, in fact, a prelude to faith; and laughter is the beginning of prayer … Laughter is swallowed up in prayer and humour is fulfilled by faith.