The word faith has various uses; its central meaning is similar to "belief", "trust" or "confidence", but unlike these terms, "faith" tends to imply a transpersonal rather than interpersonal relationship – with God or a higher power. The object of faith can be a person (or even an inanimate object or state of affairs) or a proposition (or body of propositions, such as a religious credo). In each case, however, faith is in an aspect of the object and cannot be logically proven or objectively known. Faith can mean believing unconditionally. It can also be defined as accepting as true something that one has been told by someone who is believed to be trustworthy.

Faith as the basis for human knowledge

---

Many noted philosophers and theologians have espoused the idea that “faith” is the basis of all knowledge. One example is St. Augustine of Hippo. Known as one of his key contributions to philosophy, the idea of "faith seeking understanding" was set forth by St. Augustine in his statement "Crede, ut intelligas" ("Believe in order that you may understand"). This statement extends beyond the sphere of religion to encompass the totality of knowledge. In essence, "faith" must be present in order to know anything. In other words, one must assume, believe, or have "faith" the credibility of a person, place, thing, or idea in order to have a basis for knowledge. Based on this idea, faith is a bridge between the finite and the infinite. Everyone who was born inherits knowledge from their predecessors. Because of, among other things, time and resource constraints, people are limited in their ability to test and research knowledge firsthand. Only an infinite person (not bound by time and space) could have a first-hand empirical basis for all that he or she knows. According to this usage of the term, “faith” is that which allows one to live and operate within the universe, in spite of his or her lack of firsthand empirical knowledge. One illustration of this concept is in the development of knowledge in Children. A child typically holds parental teaching as credible, in spite of the child's lack of sufficient research to establish such credibility empirically. That parental teaching, however fallible, becomes a foundation upon which future knowledge is built. The child’s faith in his/her parents teaching is based on a belief in their credibility. Unless/until the child’s belief in their parents’ credibility is superseded by a stronger belief, the parental teaching will serve as a filter through which other teaching must be processed and/or evaluated. Following this line of reasoning, and assuming that children have finite or limited empirical knowledge at birth, it follows that faith is the fundamental basis of all knowledge one has. Even adults attribute their basis of knowledge to so called "authorities" in a given field of study. This is true because one simply does not have the time or resources to evaluate all of his/her knowledge empirically and exhaustively. "Faith" is used instead. Philosopher Descartes sought to challenge this idea in his statement "I think, therefore I am." It has however been argued that even the statement "I think" is based on faith in the existence a thing called "thought."

Religious faith

---

Sometimes, faith means a belief in a relationship with a deity. In this case, "faith" is used in the sense of "fidelity." Such a commitment need not be blind or submissive, although it often shares these types of characteristics. For many Jews, for example, the Hebrew Bible and Talmud depict a committed but contentious relationship between their God and the Children of Israel. For quite a lot of people, faith or the lack thereof, is an important part of their identities. E.g. a person will identify him or herself as a Muslim or a skeptic.

A certain number of religious rationalists, as well as non-religious people, criticize implicit faith as being irrational. In this view, belief should be restricted to what is directly supportable by logic or evidence and nothing should be believed unless supported by the Scientific method - being itself, ironically, a system of beliefs grounded in faith in positivism. Others say faith is perfectly compatible with and does not necessarily contradict reason. Sometimes faith can be referred as ignorance of reality. It is a strong belief in something with no tangible proof.

Sometimes, faith means a belief in the existence of a deity, and can be used to distinguish individual belief in deities from belief in deities within religion. However it can also be used in context of belief in deities within religions. Many Jews, Christians and Muslims claim that there is adequate historical evidence of their God's existence and interaction with human beings. As such, they may believe that there is no need for "faith" in God in the sense of belief against or despite evidence; rather, they hold that evidence is sufficient to demonstrate that their God certainly exists, and that particular beliefs, concerning who or what their God is and why this God is to be trusted, are vindicated by evidence and logic. There is no historical evidence, which convinces the whole community of historians that any one religion is true. For people in this category, "faith" in a God simply means "belief that one has knowledge of particular God". It is logically impossible that all these different religions with their mutually contradictory beliefs can simultaneously be true. Therefore the majority of believers have faith in a belief system which is in some ways false, which they have difficulty describing at least. This is disputed though by some religious traditions especially in Hinduism who hold the view that the several different faiths are just aspects of the ultimate truth that the several religions have difficulty to describe and understand. They see the different religions as just different paths to the same goal. This does not explain away all logical contradictions between faiths but these traditions say that all seeming contradictions will be understood once a person has an experience of the Hindu concept of moksha.

What is believed concerning God, in this sense, is at least in principle only as reliable as the evidence and the logic by which faith is supported.

Some religious believers – and many of their critics – often use the term "faith" as the affirmation of belief without an ongoing test of evidence, and even despite evidence apparently to the contrary. Most Jews, Christians and Muslims admit that whatever particular evidence or reason they may possess that their God exists and is deserving of trust, is not ultimately the basis for their believing. Thus, in this sense faith refers to belief beyond evidence or logical arguments, sometimes called "implicit faith". Another form of this kind of faith is fideism: one ought to believe that God exists, but one should not base that belief on any other beliefs; one should, instead, accept it without any reasons at all. Faith in this sense, grounded simply in the sincerity of faith, belief on the basis of believing, is often associated with Søren Kierkegaard for example, and some other existentialist religious thinkers; his views are presented in Fear and Trembling. William Sloane Coffin counters that faith is not acceptance without proof, but trust without reservation.

Finally, faith is not something we can approach from an entirely evidence based perspective. Most world religions and mythical traditions contain stories which explain a significant point about faith. The idea is that by faith all things are possible. Storys are more apt to express mysterious truths of this nature since they are in a sense a more open art. If you believe you can do it then you can. Even if that means to defy the nature of things. This is no small claim and cannot be easily overlooked with the huge numbers of people who claim to be witness to such a truth. Not surprisingly it is impossible to test whether faith makes this difference since how much faith a person has is entirely subjective. It is something that can be explored though.

Judaism

Although Judaism does recognize the positive value of Emunah (faith/belief) and the negative status of the Apikorus (heretic) the specific tenets that compose required belief and their application to the times have been heatedly disputed throughout Jewish history. Many, but not all, Orthodox Jews have accepted Maimonides' Thirteen Principles of Belief.

For a wide history of this dispute, see: Shapira, Marc: The Limits of Orthodox Theology: Maimonides' Thirteen Principles Reappraised (Littman Library of Jewish Civilization (Series).)

Christianity

Faith is one of the most powerful concepts and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as documented in the New Testament of the Bible. As one indication of the dramatic change in consciousness that came with the arrival of Jesus in human history, the word faith appears only once in the Old Testament, but appears 245 times in the New Testament. The modern interpretations of faith in Christianity differs somewhat between the various offshoots of Christian traditions. The definition of this quality for Christians is found in the scriptural text at Epistle to the Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". (NIV)

For more, see: Faith in Christianity

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

For other articles related to the beliefs of the LDS Church see Latter Day Saint doctrines, beliefs, and practices

Joseph Smith, considered the first latter-day prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("LDS Church"), taught some added dimensions of the word "faith" that relate to power and governance in the universe. He stated in a series of lectures: "But faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth....Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and without power there could be no creation....(Lectures on Faith, pp. 1-8)

Smith also taught: "...without the idea of the existence of the attributes which belong to God the minds of men could not have power to exercise faith in him so as to lay hold upon eternal life. The God of heaven, understanding most perfectly the constitution of human nature, and the weakness of men, knew what was necessary to be revealed, and what ideas must be planted in their minds in order that they might be enabled to exercise faith in him unto eternal life." (Lectures on Faith, pp. 42-49)

As men exercise faith and please God, Smith taught: "An actual knowledge to any person, that the course of life which he pursues is according to the will of God, is essentially necessary to enable him to have that confidence in God without which no person can obtain eternal life. It was this that enabled the ancient saints to endure all their afflictions and persecutions...." (Lectures on Faith, p. 57)

Concerning the relationship of faith and miracles, the Book of Mormon prophet Moroni taught, "For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing? And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles... I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac....; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles....I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.... Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.... Behold, I speak unto you as though I spake from the dead; for I know that ye shall have my words.... And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that (the prayers of all the saints who have dwelt in the land) may be answered according to their faith; and may God the Father remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the name of Jesus Christ." (Mormon 9:9-11,19,21,27,30,36,37)

Islam

Faith in Islam centers on faith in the fulfillment of prophecy by Muhammad, the prophet and messenger of Allah (God).

• Faith is one of three the substanstial mottos for the Muslim nation or the first Islamic Republic enshrined on the official State symbols and officially on the National Emblem of Pakistan see State Emblem of the nation-state of Pakistan

Buddhism

Faith (saddha/sraddha) is an important constituent element of the teachings of the Buddha - both in the Theravada tradition as in the Mahayana. While not of the “blind” variety and on occasion linked with insight (prajna), Buddhist faith (as advocated by the Buddha of the various scriptures) nevertheless requires a degree of trusting confidence and belief primarily in the spiritual attainment and salvational knowledge of the Buddha. Faith in Buddhism centers on belief in the Buddha as a supremely Awakened being, on his unexcelled role as teacher of both humans and gods, in the truth of his Dharma (spiritual Doctrine), and in his Sangha (community of spiritually developed followers). Faith in Buddhism functions as a form of motor, which propels the Buddhist practitioner towards the goal of Awakening (bodhi) and Nirvana.

For more, see Faith in Buddhism

Rastafari

Faith to the Rastafarians implies knowledge of the divinity of Haile Selassie rather than belief in this proposition, as Rastas claim not to hold belief systems. The word faith does not hold such negative connotations. Their faith in Selassie as God, and as the being who is going to end their sufferings at the day of judgement when they will return to live in Africa under his rule is at the center of their lives. The dreadlocks are worn as an open declaration of faith in and loyalty towards Haile Selassie, while marijuana is seen to help cultivate a strong faith by bringing the faithful closer to God. Rastas have faith when 2 or more of them come together to reason about their religion that Haile Selassie is with them. Selassie is seen as both God the Father, who created Heaven and earth, and as God the Son, the Reincarnation of Jesus Christ. To complete the Holy Trinity the Holy Spirit is seen as being in the believers themselves, and within all human beings. The announcement of the death of Selassie in 1975 did not disturb the faith of the Rastas, who assumed that God cannot die, and that therefore the news was false. Rastas also have a faith in physical immortality, both for Haile Selassie and for themselves.

Neurobiological findings

---

Neurobiological research Jacqueline Borg et al. Karolinska University, Stockholm, Sweden, The Serotonin System and Spiritual Experiences - American Journal of Psychiatry 160:1965-1969, November 2003. coupled with modern medical imaging, especially tomography, suggests that serotonin is generated in some areas of the brain of people having religious experiences, and may have specific effects. These include the ability of believers to better cope with stressful situations. Viewed from the perspective of evolutionary psychology, this would suggest that in an uncontrolled environment, religious faith would objectively increase fitness for individuals.

Notes

---

Note that "Faith" can also be used as a womans name.

See also

---

• Apostasy
• Belief system
• Faith and rationality
• Major world religions
• Religious conversion
• Rationalism

• True-believer syndrome
• Wishful thinking
• Crisis of faith
• St. Faith
• Sts. Faith, Hope, and Charity

Further reading

---

• Sam Harris, The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason, W. W. Norton (2004), hardcover, 336 pages, ISBN 0393035158
• Hein, David. "Faith and Doubt in Rose Macaulay's The Towers of Trebizond." Anglican Theological Review Winter2006, Vol. 88 Issue 1, p47-68.
• Zarlengo, Michael. Pray Like This: God's Secret to Answered Prayer. Dallas, Texas: Michael Zarlengo Publishing, 2005.

Classic reflections on the nature of faith

• Martin Buber, I and Thou
• Paul Tillich, The Dynamics of Faith

The Reformation view of faith

• John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion
• R.C. Sproul, Faith Alone

External links

---

• Epistemology of the religion, article from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy by Peter Forrest
• Martin Luther's Definition of Faith
• John Calvin on Justification by Faith from The Institutes of the Christian Religion
• Charles Spurgeon on the Warrant of Faith
• B.B. Warfield on Justification By Faith
• The Skeptic's Dictionary entry on Faith
• Catholic Encyclopedia entry on Faith
• Faith in Judaism chabad.org
• Lectures on Faith
• Faith- Luke 8 An audio sermon from Sylvania Christian
• Faith from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Religious philosophy and doctrine | Belief | Spirituality | Virtues

إيمان | Víra | Tro | Glaube | Usk | Fe | Foi | Fede | Hit | Wiara | Fé | Вера | Tín ngưỡng | Віра (релігійна) | Íman | 信心