Religion is partly fundamental & immutable partly circumstantial & mutable. The first was the Religion of Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham Moses Christ & all the saints & consists of two parts our duty towards God & our duty towards man or piety & righteousness, piety which I will here call Godliness & Humanity.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Religion has an immutable core from early figures and a mutable part that adapts to circumstances.
- In plain terms
- The essential teachings stay the same, while cultural expressions change over time.
- What can you take from it?
- Distinguish between core beliefs and their cultural expressions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What defines the immutable core of a faith?
- How do mutable aspects affect unity?
Another view
The division is a personal interpretation and may not apply universally.
More from Isaac Newton
It seems probable to me that God, in the beginning, formed matter in solid, massy, hard, impenetrable, moveable particles, of such sizes and figures, and with …
Permalink to quote #28 Godliness consists in the knowledge love & worship of God, Humanity in love, righteousness & good offices towards man.
Permalink to quote #30 The changing of bodies into light, and light into bodies, is very conformable to the course of Nature, which seems delighted with transmutations.
Permalink to quote #27
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