Chapter 6 of Christian Foundations
Faith – being ultimately concerned about whatever absorbs our heart, mind, energies - a universal experience
Faith means committing ourselves totally We are willing to risk our whole being.
Abraham Sara
Faith is a gift of God (especially in St. Paul) God makes the first move (nature, music, a person you
meet) Faith is our response to God’s invitation
FAITH: involves whole person’s love and loyalty (with risk and uncertainty) –”from the heart”
BELIEFS: doctrines, facts, intellectual dimension of faith – “from the head”
THEOLOGY: “faith seeking understanding”
“Cultural Christianity” Whole nations were Catholic People sometimes belong to a church
for social reasons Other reasons:
Karl Rahner says in the future only people who are really committed will be Christian.
Faith isn’t really lost – it just stops influencing our lives
Loss of faith may also be disillusionment with a form of faith that is no longer adequate
Scientific
Historical
Truth contained in poetry, story, drama e.g. Hamlet Genesis - deep truths of God’s generativity and care Parables of Jesus
Faith is a “lived truth” (active, it changes)
Faith is being or relating to God and others
Meeting Jesus is a transforming experience
Gustavo Gutierrez Liberation Theology
“To know God is to do justice.”
1) Intuitive-Projective (ages 2-7) concrete images of ultimate realities
2) Mythic-Literal (ages 7-12) literal meaning; black and white thinking
3) Synthetic-Conventional (ages 12-20 (?)) pulls together different awarenesses relational morality based on outside authority
4) Individuative-Reflective (ages20-27(?)) more personal, more reflective responsible for own choice of religion, and certain faith community
5) Conjunctive Faith (ages 35(?) to ever?) shown by integrated experiences of self, society, and ultimate reality
not “either-or” thinking but seeing both sides of an issue
truth has many dimensions
6) Universalizing Faith (very few people) imitates the love of God an enlarged vision of justice and truth “the foreign orphan is as important as my own child”
