“His attitude to physical clues was rather like that of the modern Christian to miracles. They could happen, but probably not just at the moment.”

“So what to do? . . . She shook her head impatiently. Choice is a largely delusional concept, her tutor used to say. Whether in politics, morals or shopping, we have far less than we imagine. In the end what we have to do often doesn't even figure on our list of pseudo-options.”

“then I saw that there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven.”

“it could all be so simple, but you'd rather make it hard, loving you is like a battle, and we both end up with scars,”

“There is, however, one way of speaking that I've tried to avoid. Rather than refer to someone as "a homosexual," I've taken care always to make "gay" or "homosexual" the adjective, and never the noun, in a longer phrase, such as "gay Christian" or "homosexual person." In this way, I hope to send a subtle linguistic signal that being gay isn't the most important thing about my or any other gay person's identity. I am a Christian before I am anything else. My homosexuality is a part of my makeup, a facet of my personality. One day, I believe, whether in this life or in the resurrection, it will fade away. But my identity as a Christian - someone incorporated into Christ's body by his Spirit - will remain.”

“It takes a great deal of courage to stand alone even if you believe in something very strongly.”

“[To my enemy:] Some are great, some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them! And then there's you.”