Tertullian: Quotes about nature

Tertullian was Christian theologian. Explore interesting quotes on nature.
Tertullian: 82   quotes 7   likes

“All things will be in danger of being taken in a sense different from their own proper sense, and, whilst taken in that different sense, of losing their proper one, if they are called by a name which differs from their natural designation. Fidelity in names secures the safe appreciation of properties.”
Omnia periclitabuntur aliter accipi quam sunt, et amittere quod sunt dum aliter accipiuntur, si aliter quam sunt cognominantur. Fides nominum salus est proprietatum.

Tertullian

De Carne Christi, 13.2

Nature , Sense

“O witness of the soul naturally Christian.”

Tertullian

Original: (la) O testimonium animae naturaliter Christianae
Source: Apologeticus pro Christianis, Chapter 17

Soul , Nature

“But everything which is against nature deserves to be branded as monstrous among all men; but with us it is to be condemned also as sacrilege against God, the Lord and Creator of nature.”

Tertullian

Source: The Chaplet https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0304.htm, Chapter V

God , Nature , Men

“The argument for Christian practices becomes all the stronger, when also nature, which is the first rule of all, supports them. Well, she is the first who lays it down that a crown does not become the head.”

Tertullian

Source: The Chaplet https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0304.htm, Chapter V

Support , Nature

“O witness of the soul naturally Christian.”

Tertullian

Original: O testimonium animae naturaliter Christianae
Source: The Apology https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0301.htm, Chapter 17

Soul , Nature

“For things which are worthy of God will prove the existence of God. We maintain that God must first be known from nature, and afterwards authenticated by instruction: from nature by His works; by instruction, through His revealed announcements.”

Tertullian

Variant translation: We conclude that God is known first through Nature, and then again, more particularly, by doctrine; by Nature in His works, and by doctrine in His revealed word.
Book I, Chapter XVIII.—Notwithstanding Their Conceits, the God of the Marcionites Fails in the Vouchers Both of Created Evidence and of Adequate Revelation.
This was quoted by Galileo in his defense of natural sciences.
Galileo Galilei: Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina of Tuscany, 1615 https://people.bu.edu/dklepper/RN242/duchess.html
Against Marcion https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0312.htm
Original: (la) Digna enim deo probabunt deum. Nos definimus deum primo natura cognoscendum, deinde doctrina recognoscendum, natura ex operibus, doctrina ex praedicationibus.

God , Nature