Growth [is] the only evidence of life.

Taken at face value, Newman’s aphorism links “life” with dynamism: what is truly alive does not remain static but develops—intellectually, morally, spiritually, or institutionally. In a Christian theological register often associated with Newman, “growth” can suggest organic development rather than rupture: continuity of identity alongside real change. The line is frequently invoked to defend the idea that authentic faith, character, or tradition shows itself by deepening and maturing over time, whereas stagnation signals decline or mere formal survival. It also works as a general maxim about human flourishing: vitality is evidenced not by preservation of the status quo but by ongoing formation and enlargement of understanding and love.