Dean Inge Quotes

Powerful Dean Inge for Daily Growth

About Dean Inge

Dean Inge (1860-1954), an Anglican bishop and philosopher, was born on November 3, 1860, in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. His real name was Arthur Donaldson Runeson Inge but he preferred to be called Dean Inge due to his lifelong association with the church. Inge's early years were spent in a family that valued education and intellectual curiosity. He attended Marlborough College before studying at Merton College, Oxford. His academic career flourished, earning him the prestigious position of Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge University in 1892. Inge's religious beliefs significantly influenced his later life. Ordained as a deacon in 1885 and a priest in 1886, he was appointed Bishop of Truro in 1897 and then the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London in 1920. Inge's philosophical works, particularly "The Future of Religion" (1901) and "Essays and Reviews" (1860), challenged traditional religious views and earned him both admiration and criticism. He was a progressive thinker who advocated for social reform, women's suffrage, and the abolition of capital punishment. His most famous work, "Christianity and War," published in 1923, was a passionate plea against war and a call for peace. Inge's works continue to be relevant today, reflecting his enduring influence on religious and philosophical thought. Dean Inge passed away on December 25, 1954, leaving behind a rich legacy of intellectual and spiritual discourse that continues to inspire and challenge readers worldwide. His quotes, such as "The difficulty in life is not so much to surmount the extreme difficulties, which are but few in number, but rather to find a problem large enough to tackle," remain as poignant and relevant today as they were during his lifetime.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"We cannot seize life as it flies; we can only live it moment by moment."

Dean Inge's quote emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. It suggests that life is fleeting and elusive, constantly moving forward, and we must make the most of each passing moment to truly live our lives. The quote encourages us to find meaning and purpose in the here-and-now, and to appreciate the transient beauty of each day. By focusing on the present, we can experience life more fully and make the most of every opportunity that comes our way.


"The only way to avoid being miserable is not to have enough leisure to wonder whether you are happy or not."

This quote suggests that if one has too much free time, they may start questioning their happiness, leading to potential feelings of dissatisfaction or misery. The implication is that being constantly engaged in meaningful work or activities can help prevent the development of such introspective thoughts, thereby promoting a more content and fulfilled life. In essence, it highlights the importance of keeping ourselves occupied with purposeful pursuits to maintain a state of satisfaction.


"To be idle is a short road to Death, and in idleness the human soul dies aloud when the body lives on."

This quote by Dean Inge suggests that idleness leads to spiritual decay, even if one continues to physically exist. It emphasizes the importance of staying active and engaged in meaningful pursuits, as neglecting mental stimulation can lead to a deterioration of our inner self. Essentially, it highlights the need for both physical and intellectual activity to maintain a balanced and fulfilling life.


"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle."

This quote by Dean Inge emphasizes empathy and kindness towards others, suggesting that everyone we encounter in life is dealing with struggles or challenges that may not be apparent on the surface. It encourages us to show compassion and understanding, recognizing our shared humanity, and treating people with kindness as a way of acknowledging their struggle and offering support when it is needed.


"Miss no day that you have to speak; miss no speech that you have to hear."

This quote by Dean Inge emphasizes the importance of communication, both speaking and listening. It encourages active participation in dialogue and open-mindedness towards others' perspectives. Don't let opportunities to learn and grow slip away; take advantage of every chance you have to speak up, express yourself, and engage in meaningful conversation. Similarly, never pass up a chance to listen and learn from others' words. Effective communication fosters understanding, empathy, and growth.


What is originality? Undetected plagiarism.

- Dean Inge

Originality, Plagiarism

Faith always contains an element of risk, of venture; and we are impelled to make the venture by the affinity and attraction which we feel in ourselves.

- Dean Inge

Faith, Always, Which, Attraction

Man, as we know him, is a poor creature; he is halfway between an ape and a god and he is travelling in the right direction.

- Dean Inge

Halfway, Right, Travelling, Ape

Bereavement is the sharpest challenge to our trust in God; if faith can overcome this, there is no mountain which it cannot remove.

- Dean Inge

Trust, Overcome, Which, Bereavement

Bereavement is the deepest initiation into the mysteries of human life, an initiation more searching and profound than even happy love.

- Dean Inge

Love, More, Searching, Bereavement

Action is the normal completion of the act of will which begins as prayer. That action is not always external, but it is always some kind of effective energy.

- Dean Inge

Normal, Always, Which, External

The wisdom of the wise is an uncommon degree of common sense.

- Dean Inge

Wisdom, Wise, Uncommon, Common Sense

We tolerate shapes in human beings that would horrify us if we saw them in a horse.

- Dean Inge

Horse, Would, Shapes, Tolerate

The proper time to influence the character of a child is about a hundred years before he is born.

- Dean Inge

Character, Before, Hundred, Hundred Years

Let none of us delude himself by supposing that honesty is always the best policy. It is not.

- Dean Inge

Honesty, Always, Himself, Delude

It takes in reality only one to make a quarrel. It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism, while the wolf remains of a different opinion.

- Dean Inge

Wolf, Resolutions, Pass, Vegetarianism

All faith consists essentially in the recognition of a world of spiritual values behind, yet not apart from, the world of natural phenomena.

- Dean Inge

Values, Behind, Natural, Phenomena

Gambling is a disease of barbarians superficially civilized.

- Dean Inge

Gambling, Disease, Civilized, Barbarians

Faith is an act of rational choice, which determines us to act as if certain things were true, and in the confident expectation that they will prove to be true.

- Dean Inge

Prove, Which, Certain Things, Rational

Love remembered and consecrated by grief belongs, more clearly than the happy intercourse of friends, to the eternal world; it has proved itself stronger than death.

- Dean Inge

Love, Death, Consecrated, Grief

The object of studying philosophy is to know one's own mind, not other people's.

- Dean Inge

Mind, Studying, Other, Object

A cat can be trusted to purr when she is pleased, which is more than can be said for human beings.

- Dean Inge

More, Which, Beings, Trusted

In praising science, it does not follow that we must adopt the very poor philosophies which scientific men have constructed. In philosophy they have much more to learn than to teach.

- Dean Inge

Very, Which, Constructed, Philosophy

The soul is dyed with the color of its leisure thoughts.

- Dean Inge

Soul, Color, Thoughts, Leisure

I have no fear that the candle lighted in Palestine years ago will ever be put out.

- Dean Inge

Will, No Fear, Years, Candle

Don't get up from the feast of life without paying for your share of it.

- Dean Inge

Share, Get, Paying, Feast

Democracy is only an experiment in government, and it has the obvious disadvantage of merely counting votes instead of weighing them.

- Dean Inge

Disadvantage, Counting, Votes

The wise man is he who knows the relative value of things.

- Dean Inge

Man, Wise, Things, Wise Man

It was said that Mr. Gladstone could persuade most people of most things, and himself of anything.

- Dean Inge

Himself, Most, Mr, Persuade

If the universe is running down like a clock, the clock must have been wound up at a date which we could name if we knew it. The world, if it is to have an end in time, must have had a beginning in time.

- Dean Inge

Date, Been, Which, Clock

A good government remains the greatest of human blessings and no nation has ever enjoyed it.

- Dean Inge

Government, Nation, Ever, Enjoyed

To marry is to get a binocular view of life.

- Dean Inge

Life, View, Get, Marry

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