David W. Hall > Quotes

“It is the custom in passing romance and journalism to talk of men suffering under old tyrannies. But, as a fact, men have almost always suffered under new tyrannies; under tyrannies that had been public liberties hardly twenty years before.”
― David W. Hall, Tributes to John Calvin: A Celebration of His Quincentenary

“What bothers us most about our legal system? It is that we know the law isn’t being fairly enforced, that money or position can assure immunity from just punishment, whether the charge is murder or sexual harassment. We are in danger of becoming a government of men not of laws, and our founding fathers, if they were alive today, would tell us, “That way lies tyranny.” Not only must we have law; it must be law that calls us to a higher standard than that by which many are willing to live. Some folks say, “You can’t legislate morality.” If they mean we can’t make folks behave morally by requiring it in the law, they’re right. But if they mean we should therefore not try and set up high standards in law, they’re wrong. Good laws will set high moral standards, whether the moral issue be murder, stealing, lying to a jury, or sexual misconduct. All those things and many more fall within the purview of moral law. These days we especially need laws that affirm the value of human life. The violence in our culture results from our habit of undervaluing life, a habit which can only be changed when our laws recognize the”
― David W. Hall, Election Day Sermons

“Calvin was not of stone, and if there are Reformed people who are, they are poor Calvinists.”
― David W. Hall, Tributes to John Calvin: A Celebration of His Quincentenary