Ernest Renan
Ernest Renan
Joseph Ernest Renanwas a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher, historian, and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany. He is best known for his influential historical works on early Christianity, and his political theories, especially concerning nationalism and national identity. Renan is credited as being among the first scholars to advance the Khazar theory, which held that Ashkenazi Jews were descendants of Turkic peoples who had adopted Jewish religion and migrated to Western Europe...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionHistorian
Date of Birth28 February 1823
CountryFrance
All history is incomprehensible without Christ.
It is evident, indeed, that such a doctrine, taken by itself in a literal manner, had no future. The world, in continuing to exist, caused it to crumble. One generation of man at the most was the limit of its endurance. The faith of the first Christian generation is intelligible, but the faith of the second generation is no longer so. After the death of John, or of the last survivor, whoever he might be, of the group which had seen the master, the word of Jesus was convicted of falsehood.
True Christianity, which will last forever, comes from the gospel words of Christ not from the epistles of Paul. The writings of Paul have been a danger and a hidden rock, the causes of the principal defects of Christian theology.
It is through Christianity that Judaism has really conquered the world. Christianity is the masterpiece of Judaism...
God, if there is a God, take my soul, if I have a soul.
O Lord - if there is a Lord; save my soul - if I have a soul
Jesus was the greatest religious genius that ever lived.
As soon as sacrifice becomes a duty and necessity to mankind. I see no limit to the horizon which opens before him.
The liberty of the individual is a necessary postulate of human progress.
Blessed are the blind, for they know not enough to ask why.
His glory Jesus Christ does not consist in beingplaced without the confines of history; a more real worship is paid to him, by showing that the whole of history is incomprehensible without him.
As a rule, all heroism is due to a lack of reflection, and thus it is necessary to maintain a mass of imbeciles. If they once understand themselves the ruling men will be lost.
All the great things of humanity have been accomplished in the name of absolute principles.
I can die when I wish to: that is my elixir of life.