Faith

Faith (from Greek-pistis and Latin-fides) generally refers to confidence, trust, and hope in a person, community, tradition, belief or another locus of inspiration. Etymologically, the word 'faith' is closely linked to the concept of "fidelity," which emphasizes commitment to something greater than oneself. Faith is often understood to mean 'loyality' to a particular view of divinity, and allegiance to a particular religious community and it's cognate doctrines. Yet, faith can also be envisioned more broadly as a form of trust in the providence of another or even oneself. An important aspect of many major world religions, the concept of faith is a common theme of human religiosity. According to Christian tradition, faith is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that provides impetus for humanity to move forward, and is said to be especially important when one encounters obstacles in life. In this manner, faith is often seen as an important part of religious growth, which helps to provide a purpose for one's life. The word faith, pitis in the Greek, and fides in the Latin, connotes a conviction, confidence, trust]] or inner attitude towards a greater power or force in the universe than oneself. The object of faith varies among people and can be seen as a person, an inanimate object, a state of affairs, or a proposition such as a |religious credo. One may have faith in God or faith in others, but the common denominator is a level of conviction in an object of faith. Faith can also be used as a synonym for religion, such as in the Buddhist faith or the Christian faith. For many people, faith or the lack thereof, is an important part of their identities.

Various Semantic Usages of Faith

The concept of faith is deeply important in many religious traditions; yet, it's usage is somewhat problematic due to the elastic nature of the term. For example, the word faith can be used in a variety of ways according to one's intention and theological perspective. For example, "faith" and "belief" are often used as synonyms; however, faith traditionally refers to an emotional commitment to an object of faith based on loyalty, confidence, and trust, such as a person, community, tradition, or belief whereas a belief is an intellectual commitment based a concept that the object of belief represents truth. One can have faith in a belief, or belief in a community of faith, which can be objectified. Historically, faith in traditional beliefs has allowed communites to continue to flourish. Such communities of faith can be, for example, family and kinship groups, ethnic groups, religions, philosophical communities, political parties, or scientific schools. Belief is a mental acceptance or assent to something offered as true, with or without certainty.

It is often said that faith has both a horizontal and vertical dimesnion. Personal faith is confidence, trust, and hope in a person, community, tradition, belief or other object that provides a purpose for one's life. Communal faith is a shared commitment to a common object of faith, which is historically and culturally inherited or acquired.

Modern writers and skeptics often speak of blind faith in a pejorative manner. Critics of faith often describe it as being irrational and they argue that one should only accept what is directly supportable by logic or evidence. To have faith in a divine being or power without any reasons to support such faith is called fideism. Faith in this sense, grounded simply in the sincerity of faith, belief on the basis of believing, has been ridiculed as "blind faith." However, faith need not be blind or submissive: both the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, for example, depict a committed but contentious faithful relationship between the Jews and their God.

Faith in Religious Contexts

Faith in Judaism

In Biblical Judaism, faith is specifically understood within the context of the covenantal relationship between God, Jehovah and his people, Israel. Faith is seen as the continued obediance of the Jews to the commandments of God that were repeatedly renewed in his Convenant.

Faith in Christainity

The classic defintion of "Faith" in Christianity is 'hope in action.' This perspective is summed up in what many Christians consider the great chapter in the New Testament on faith, Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen." Faith in Christianity is central to salvation, referring to faith in Jesus as the Savior and Messiah of all humankind. While the precise meaning and content of faith in Christianity differs in some respects between the various Christian traditions, there is much common ground.

The Apostle Paul defines faith as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1); and that it is a gift of God (1 Corinthinas 12:8-9). Paul lists it along with hope and love, making love "the greatest", nevertheless faith in the first in this trial, being the ground of all else.

Justification by Faith

Christian writings also clarify of the "object" of faith and the "goal" of faith. Clearly, the object of faith in Christianity is Jesus, the Messiah, and the goal is the salvation he ultimately offers to those who have faith in him. Credo quia ineptum (Tertullian) On must live by faith, which is not totally ignorant or blind. Through the life of faith one gradually acquires a kind of knowledge (Calvin saw this.). Though faith has an intellectual content it is an act of the will. It is a gift of God providing the recipient to perceive, all trials notwithstanding, a definite purpose in life. It is essential very prominent in the Christian life; yet it has a role in all religions.

Faith in Buddhism

In both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions of Buddhism, faith is known as (saddha/ sraddha) and is an important constituent element of the teachings of the Buddha. Sraddha means provisional adherence to the doctrine of the Buddha (dharma) until personal experience and practice convinces one of the truth. Although the Buddha insisted that his disciples experience truth for themselves, once one embarked on the Buddhist Eightfold Path the process nevertheless required a degree of trusting confidence primarily in the spiritual attainment and salvational knowledge of the Buddha. Faith in Buddhism centres on belief in the Buddha as a supremely Awakened being, in the truth of his Dharma (spiritual doctrine), and in his Sangha (community of spiritually developed followers).

As Buddhism evolved and spread throughout Asia, the act of faith became very important in various forms of Mahayana Buddhism, which very much emphasized the importance of faith. For example, the Pure Land school of Mahayana Buddhism encouraged its practicioners to place ultimate faith the efficacy of the saving grace of Amitabha Buddha. Others placed faith the merit of various bodhisattva figures. Thus, faith to some degree helps propel the Buddhist practitioner towards the goal of Awakening (bodhi) and Nirvana or rebirth in higher celestial realms.

Faith in Islam

The Arabic word for "Faith" is Iman. The Holy Qur'an proclaims that iman distinguishes a believer from a non-believer: "None can have faith except by the will of Allah." Qur'an (10:100). According to Islamic teaching, Iman means acquiescing to a truth of a thing in the heart (heart being the spiritual center). Faith is not mere belief, but firm commitment to a knowledge of truth of which we do not doubt.

Faith in Chinese Religions

The word for "Faith" in Chinese characters consist of two characters ( ); the first one ( ), which consists of a pictograph of "a person" ( ) and an ideograph of "words or speeches" ( ), has a meaning of "trusting" or "believing." The second one ( ) consists of a pictograph of "a person" ( ) and a radical with a meaning of "raising one's head and looking up to" ( ). Thus, faith in Chinese character has a connotation of "a human action of trusting in the words of a leader or a teacher in spiritual matters and looking up to him or her or a superhuman being behind him/her."

Faith Development and Psychology

Modern developmental psychologists explain faith as a developmental process that evolves in certain definable stages. At birth, one is totally dependent on one's parents. The world of the parents, including their faith, is absorbed by the child. As one's own identity develops, one has to distinguish personal faith from that of the parents, which could be said to be communal. Faith development theorists, chief among them being James Fowler, stand upon the foundation of moral development stage theory such as the pioneering Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, and others.

A question found in the New Testament of the Christian tradition, asks: "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8) This is a Biblical example of a sentiment found within Christianity, which appears to embrace the need for some precondition in man (faith) and the coming of a human vehicle, Savior, understood as a core element of faith, through whom God works to establish a gateway for the reunion (this topic is discussed further in articles linked here, and others on Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc). And, this question of "faith on earth," also insinuates the notion that faith is a developmental process, or at least, that there exist different qualities or levels of faith and hence, faithfullness. Of Course, world religions vary on their teaching of the core element of faith through which, we assume, one's faith would develop and grow. While some emphasize a messianic figure, leader, or teacher, others emphasize scripture, tradition, a covenant or covenants, the religious hierarchy, or other objects of faith. Most religions have some variant of one or more of these, including Islam which emphasizes faith in the Koran (scripture), in addition to a concept of Imam-Mahdi (which corresponds to savior). Other traditions also maintain that some human preconditions, or demonstrations of faithfulness, including prayer, fasting, study, community service, celebacy and other spiritual exercises are required before spiritual elevation and human improvement can occur, or new revelations of truth can be given and received.

Meanwhile, many in Christian traditions, as well as some in other traditions, draw upon the field of psychology to enhance understandings of faith as a developmental process that evolves in certain definable stages. These faith development theorists, chief among them being James Fowler, stand upon the foundation of moral development stage theorists like the pioneering Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, and others. See these articles for further discussion.

Scientific faith

Scientists have faith and beliefs. In this sense they are religious, or sometimes called quasi-religious. For example, many scientists believe in Darwinism, which has been called a "pseudo-religion." They believe that the concept of unguided random mutation and natural selection can explain the development of life on earth. While they can point to reasons why they believe this, they cannot prove it with the scientific method, nor can they disprove those who believe the universe was designed by a Creator.

Conclusion

Faith in something greater than oneself is a common theme among the world's religions, which usually has both an individual and collective dimension: faith is manifested at the level of personal connection and commitment to something deeper in life, and at the level of a cohesive force within a community that holds shared object(s) of faith. It is usually related to the common historical experiences and goals of the community, often non-verbal and non-rational. One role of religions is to facilitate the transference of faith to the group in society, which is seen as essential for the life of the community.

Writings on Faith

Buber, Martin. I and Thou. New York: Free Press, 1971. ISBN: 0684717255
Calvin, John. The Institutes of the Christian Religion
Smith, Wilfred Cantwell. Faith and Belief: The Difference Between Them Oxford: Oneworld Press, 1998. ISBN 1851681655
Sproul, R.C. Faith Alone
Tillich, Paul. The Dynamics of Faith

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