The Spirit of Piety
Story★★★★There is a revealing paragraph in the autobiography of Miss Petre, the Roman Catholic Modernist, the friend of Loisy and Von Hiigel. She asks, “What has kept me to the Church of my childhood, and what has kept my religion alive and vital in spite of all the spiritual doubts through which I have passed?” And her answer is: “The spirit of piety.” Piety she defines as that spirit of joy and delight above the mere sense of duty in which our religious obligations are fulfilled, the spirit of fellowship with God and her Church that exists apart from dogmatic beliefs.
The point
The Roman Catholic Modernist Petre identifies 'piety'—joy and fellowship with God beyond mere duty—as the vital force sustaining faith through doubt.
Scripture
Philippians 3:7-8Psalm 27:4
Audience
Adults
Tone
Thoughtful · Hopeful
To tell aloud
under a minute · 101 words