• “You have more need of mortification than of illumination”

    —François Fénelon, Spiritual Progress

  • Every wise person is intelligent, but not every intelligent person is wise.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Characteristics of the Spiritual Path

  • An intelligent person who, nonetheless, lacks the knowledge of the proper meaning of words will lack precision in his expression.

    —H.H. Pope Shenouda III, Characteristics of the Spiritual Path

  • Demetrius had been a man of little learning. When he was chosen Pope, the first goal he set for himself was to seek learning assiduously and diligently, and to make himself worthy of serving his people. It is said of him that he used to sit at the feet of his teachers saying, “Let men seek knowledge with true humility and an ardent desire to learn, forgetful of rank of position.”

    THE STORY OF THE COPTS
    THE TRUE STORY OF THE CHRISTIANS OF EGYPT WHO HAVE LIVED THE BIBLE FOR 2,000 YEARS

    BY IRIS HABIB EL MASRI

  • The one who loves learning learns from everything (and everyone).

    —Pope Shenouda III, Words of Spiritual Benefit Vol. 1

  • ​​That books do not take the place of experience, and that learning is no substitute for genius, are two kindred phenomena; their common ground is that the abstract can never take the place of the perceptive.

    ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER

  • “You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.”

    ―Albert Camus

  • However great your knowledge may be, you cannot understand as long as you do not love. Love is much nobler than intellect. The logic of love is much more sublime than that of the intellect.
    …
    Human beings have more knowledge than wisdom. Their theories have become in their minds like the fog on the mountains and in the valleys; they prevent them from seeing things as they are. Their theories rob them of sight.

    —St. Charbel, Love is a Radiant Light

  • Humble knowledge of self is a surer path to God than the ardent pursuit of learning. Not that learning is to be considered evil, or knowledge, which is good in itself and so ordained by God; but a clean conscience and virtuous life ought always to be preferred. Many often err and accomplish little or nothing because they try to become learned rather than to live well.

    —Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ