Paul Tillich Doubt Quotations

Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith.

The courage to be is rooted in the God who appears when God has disappeared in the anxiety of doubt.

Existential anxiety of doubt drives the person toward the creation of certitude of systems of meaning, which are supported by tradition and authority. Neurotic anxiety builds a narrow castle of certitude which can be defended with the utmost certainty.

Faith embraces itself and the doubt about itself.

There is faith in every serious doubt, namely, the faith in the truth as such, even if the only truth we can express is our lack of truth.

Sometimes I think it is my mission to bring faith to the faithless, and doubt to the faithful.

Out of the element of participation follows the certainty of faith; out of the element of separation follows the doubt in faith. And each is essential for the nature of faith. Sometimes certainty conquers doubt, but it cannot eliminate doubt. The conquered of today may become the conqueror of tomorrow. Sometimes doubt conquers faith, but it still contains faith. Otherwise it would be indifference.

Doubt is the necessary tool of knowledge.