Henry Van Dyke Quotes

Faith is not a rational thing, and yet to understand the universe, rationality alone will not give it to us. Our understanding of the universe must transcend the rational.

There is a profound difference between information and meaning.

Without philosophy man cannot know what he makes; without religion he cannot know why.

Listen! If stars are lit It means there is someone who needs it, It means someone wants them to be, That someone deems those specks of spit Magnificent!

Science and religion are, of course, two different ways of looking at the universe; and it's the same universe with two different windows.

We should find God in what we do know, not in what we don't; not in outstanding problems, but in those we have already solved.

Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.

I do not try, Lord, to attain Your lofty heights, because my understanding is in no way equal to it. But I do desire to understand Your truth a little, that truth that my heart believes and loves. I do not seek to understand that I may believe; but I believe so that I may understand. For I believe this also, that unless I believe, I shall not understand.

For the value of everything exists for man only so long as he does not understand it. When he has fully understood, the value is lost, be it the lowest thing or the highest thing.

Science and religion, religion and science, put it as it may, they are the two sides of the same glass, through which we see darkly until these two focus together, reveal the truth.

We have the deepest respect and reverence for Islam and all who share the faith of Islam.

You have to really know what you're saying.

Men of the world who value the Way all turn to books. But books are nothing more than words. Words have value; what is of value in words is meaning. Meaning has something it is pursuing, but the thing that it is pursuing cannot be put into words and handed down. The world values words and hands down books but, though the world values them, I do not think them worth valuing. What the world takes to be values is not real value.

I feel most spiritual when I'm out in the woods. I feel part of nature. Or looking up at the stars. [I used to say] I was an atheist. Now I say, it's all according to your definition of God. According to my definition of God, I'm not an atheist. Because I think God is everything. Whenever I open my eyes I'm looking at God.

Believe that you may understand.

God has no need for our worship. It is we who need to show our gratitude for what we have received.

All the truth in the world is held in stories.

First, believe in the world - that there is meaning behind everything.

Until you've tasted it [anything], you can't really know it.

Knowledge and understanding are life's faithful companions who will never prove untrue to you. For knowledge is your crown, and understanding your staff; and when they are with you, you can possess no greater treasures.

The universe is but one vast Symbol of God.

What is not intelligible to me is not necessarily unintelligent

Mystics always hope that science will some day overtake them.

Any work that is not rooted in myth and poetry or that does not partake of the depth and essence of the universe is merely a ghost.

Because it is so hard, in any life, to believe in what you can’t fully understand.