Personal friendships

Although a personal relationship with Christ lies at the heart of the Christian life, it would be quite unchristian only 'to rest in the thought of two and two only absolute and luminously self-evident beings, myself and my Creator', as 'childish imaginations', reinforced later by the Calvinist doctrine of 'final perseverance', induced the youthful Newman to do. The individual Christian's relation to God is inseparable from the communion of other Christians. Not only that, but it is a characteristically Newmanian theme that our charity towards others is formed and influenced by our particular personal friendships.

I. Ker 'Healining the wound of Humanity' p. 101, quoting JHN, Apologia, 18
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