David P. Gushee Quotes

• “Better is one day in the company of those bullied by Christians but loved by Jesus than thousands in the company of those wielding scripture to harm the weak and defenseless.”

  David P. Gushee

  5 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “Make your church a context where parents know that the right response to their teenagers is never to reject them as human beings, never to throw them out.”

  David P. Gushee

  4 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “Please protect me through the dangers and confusion of my transient life on earth, ensuring that in all things I strive for eternal life in Heaven.”

  David P. Gushee

  3 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

• “If what we are talking about is blessing an anything-goes ethic in a morally libertine culture, I stand utterly opposed, as I have throughout my career. But if what we are talking about is carving out space for serious committed Christians who happen to be gay or lesbian, to participate in society as equals, in church as kin, and in the blessings and demands of covenant on the same terms as everyone else, I now think that has nothing to do with cultural, ecclesial and moral decline, and everything to do with treating people the way Christ did.”

  David P. Gushee

  3 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “save our souls from being so blind that we pass unseeing when even the common thornbush is aflame with Your glory,”

  David P. Gushee

  2 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

• “I just called the slaveholder version of Christianity "false." I believe that. But note that in situations of conflict participants view reality differently. The more intractable the conflict, especially where both sides have the capacity to hurt each other, the more difficult it is to determine who is "victim" and who is "oppressor." Think about how nothing is quite as predictable and fruitless as hearing estranged spouses blame each other for being abusive or oppressive. Liberation theology dealt with this perceptual gulf in conflicted situations by speaking of the "epistemological privilege of the poor/oppressed." This meant: the view of the truth of a conflictual situation is clearer from the underside than from the position of power. But this assumes that we know who is on the underside and who holds the power. I am not saying that the exodus-liberation-deliverance motif is invalidated; I am saying that few situations present themselves to us in such clarity as Exod. 1-2 enslavement and infanticide do.”

  David P. Gushee

  2 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “Our God, You open Your hand, and fill all things living with plenteousness; to You I commit all those who are dear to me; watch over them, I pray, and provide all things needful for their souls and bodies, now and for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —NERSES (4TH C.)”

  David P. Gushee

  1 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “Human life is sacred: this means that each and every human being has been set apart for designation as a being of elevated status and dignity. Each human being must therefore be viewed with reverence and treated with due respect and care, with special attention to preventing any desecration or violation of a human being.”

  David P. Gushee

  1 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “Blest be the God of love, Who gave me eyes, and light, and power this day, Both to be busy and to play. . . . My God, Thou art all love. Not one poor minute escapes Thy breast, But brings a favor from above; And in this love, more than in bed, I rest. Amen. —GEORGE HERBERT (1593–1633)”

  David P. Gushee

  1 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “Give me an upright heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know Thee, diligence to seek Thee, wisdom to find Thee, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —THOMAS AQUINAS (1225–1274)”

  David P. Gushee

  1 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm; Still me, O Lord; keep me from harm. Let all the storms within me cease. Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace. Amen. —CELTIC PRAYER”

  David P. Gushee

  1 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “Lord Jesus, I do love You and most earnestly worship You. Help me today, please, to be even the palest reflection of that completeness that was and is Yours. Then I, like a tiny sliver of glass that glitters in the sunshine, will reflect back to the world Your godly brightness. Amen. —JEANIE GUSHEE”

  David P. Gushee

  1 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “O Lord, take full possession of my heart, raise there Your throne, and command there as You do in heaven. Being created by You, let me live for You; being created for You, let me always act for Your glory; being redeemed by You, let me give to You what is Yours; and let my spirit cling to You alone, for Your name’s sake. Amen. —JOHN WESLEY (1703–1791)”

  David P. Gushee

  1 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen. —ANCIENT EASTERN ORTHODOX PRAYER”

  David P. Gushee

  1 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “O Christ, Son of the Living God, May Your holy angels guard our sleep. May they watch over us as we rest And hover around our beds. . . . May no dreams disturb our rest And no nightmares darken our dreams. . . . May the virtue of our daily work Hallow our nightly prayers. May our sleep be deep and soft, So our work be fresh and hard. Amen. —PATRICK OF IRELAND (c. 387–c. 460)”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “Immortal honour, endless fame, Attend the Almighty Father’s name: The Saviour Son be glorified, Who for lost man’s redemption died; And equal adoration be, Eternal Paraclete, to Thee. Amen. —RABANUS MAURUS (9TH C.); TRANSLATED BY JOHN DRYDEN (1631”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “I bind unto myself today The power of God to hold and lead, His eye to watch, His might to stay, His ear to hearken to my need, The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, His shield to ward, The Word of God to give me speech, His heavenly host to be my guard. Amen. —PATRICK OF IRELAND (c. 387–c. 460)”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “Take me, I pray Thee, O Lord of my life, into Thy keeping this night and for ever. O Thou light of lights, keep me from inward darkness; grant me so to sleep in peace, that I may arise to work according to Thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. —LANCELOT ANDREWES (1555–1626)”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: be gracious to all who have gone astray from Thy ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Thy Word, Jesus Christ Thy Son; who with Thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. —BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

• “Dear Lord, we are now as a church in the holy Season of Lent. These are days of salvation, these are the acceptable days. I know that I am a sinner, that in many ways I have offended You. I see that sin withers Your life within me, as drought withers the leaves on a tree in the desert. Help me now, Lord, in my attempt to turn from sin. Bless my efforts with the rich blessing of Your grace. Help me to see that the least thing I do for You, or give up for You, will be rewarded by You “full measure, pressed down, shaken together and flowing over.” Then I shall see in my own soul how the desert can blossom, and the dry and wasted land bring forth the rich, useful fruit which was expected of it from the beginning. Amen. —COUNTRY PRAYER FOR LENT,”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “Let kindness go from us to others with every gift, and good desires with every Christmas greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with a clear heart. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen. —ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “It is truly right and good, always and everywhere, with our whole heart and mind and voice, to praise You, the invisible, almighty, and eternal God, and Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; for He is the true Paschal Lamb, who at the feast of the Passover paid for us the debt of Adam’s sin, and by His blood delivered Your faithful people. . . .”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement

• “Guard for me my eyes, Jesus, Son of Mary, lest seeing others’ wealth make me covetous. Guard for me my ears, lest they harken to slander, lest they listen to folly in the sinful world. Guard for me my heart, O Christ, in Thy love, lest I ponder wretchedly the desire of any iniquity. Guard for me my hands, that they be not stretched out for quarreling, or practice shameful idleness. Guard for me my feet upon the gentle earth. . . . lest they be bent on profitless errands. Amen. —ANCIENT IRISH PRAYER”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote
• “O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing Thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thou art worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds. Amen. —PHOS HILARON (LATIN HYMN, 4TH C.)”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement

Advertisement
• “At the Lamb’s high feast we sing Praise to our victorious King, Who hath washed us in the tide Flowing from His pierced side. . . . Mighty Victim from the sky, Hell’s fierce powers beneath Thee lie; Thou hast conquered in the fight, Thou hast brought us life and light;”

  David P. Gushee

  0 Copy to clipboard Copy quote

Advertisement