Alister E. McGrath Quote
Lewis rightly points out that this desire to be part of the Inner Ring is not really about friendship at all. It is about our own insecurity and yearning to matter. It is about using friends as tools to gain what we want. We value someone, not because of who they are, but because of what they can do for us. We want them to boost our self-esteem and self-importance and get us privileged access to things we might otherwise not be able to get at all. In fact, our longing to be part of an Inner Ring debases friendship. Real friendship is about shared affection, respect, and interests. As Lewis concluded, there is no ‘inside’ that is worth reaching. What really matters is friendship, pure and simple.
Lewis rightly points out that this desire to be part of the Inner Ring is not really about friendship at all. It is about our own insecurity and yearning to matter. It is about using friends as tools to gain what we want. We value someone, not because of who they are, but because of what they can do for us. We want them to boost our self-esteem and self-importance and get us privileged access to things we might otherwise not be able to get at all. In fact, our longing to be part of an Inner Ring debases friendship. Real friendship is about shared affection, respect, and interests. As Lewis concluded, there is no ‘inside’ that is worth reaching. What really matters is friendship, pure and simple.
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About Alister E. McGrath
Aside from being a faculty member at Oxford, McGrath has also taught at Cambridge University and is a teaching fellow at Regent College. McGrath holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford: a doctoral degree in molecular biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity degree in theology, and a Doctor of Letters degree in intellectual history. In addition to his doctorates, he also holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Divinity, a Master of Arts, and three honorary doctorates.
McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics. He is also known for his opposition to New Atheism and antireligion and his advocacy of theological critical realism. Among his best-known books are The Twilight of Atheism, The Dawkins Delusion?, Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, and A Scientific Theology. He is also the author of a number of popular textbooks on theology.