The Tension Between Faith and Reason Essay - 1643 Words

Entering the ancient discussion about the tension between faith and reason is not an easy task. Of course, when engaging in tensions it is always important to define terms. For the sake of consistency I will refer to Oxford’s online dictionary for both the definition of faith, as well as reason. Faith is â€Å"complete trust or confidence in someone or something.† Reason is â€Å"a cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event.† These are the definitions that will be used throughout this paper. From the above definitions, the conclusion that is logically deduced is that reason precedes faith. The common conception seems to be that faith can be unreasonable. Therefore, faith cannot precede reason. It is important to make a†¦show more content†¦He is a philosophical theologian who discussed this issue in quite a bit of length. Aquinas believed that even though faith could obtain truth that was beyond reason, one could still achieve incompl ete truths using reason devoid of faith. Though this is more towards a companionable view of faith and reason, there is still an implication of having to start with reason. Aquinas also believed that one’s faith could assist one’s reason. However, this faith could not be conceived outside of an explanation (reason), therefore, reason preceding faith is what assists reason. In other words, faith understood as complete confidence helps reason inasmuch as reason eventually assists itself. A forerunner to Aquinas was a fellow by the name Peter Lombard. He taught that the unbeliever could know truth through the gift of reason, even truths regarding the Holy Trinity. This is significant because this teaching annihilates the need for faith in order to find truth. Though I’m sure Lombard would agree with Aquinas concerning that truth apart from faith would be incomplete, Lombard has shown that even truths associated with religious practiced are not beyond reason. On that note, it would be helpful to explore the concept of rationality. Rational means â€Å"based on or in accordance with reason or logic.† A rational human will not be without reason. When it comes to basis, the said human’s faith seems to be irrelevant.Show MoreRelatedThe Reflection Of Faith And Faith954 Words   |  4 Pagesbe faith. The stereotypical faith is founded on the idea of believing without seeing. However, that philosophy leads to a weak and vulnerable faith. Doubt creeps into all aspects of life and ultimately changes the very core life. Changing one element in an ecosystem can directly impact all elements of life connected to the effected one. The naturally occurring doubt has the power to potentially alter an entire belief system. 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