On Faith

 

In my understanding, a mystery is something that changes a person in relation to the Divine. The mystery of Christian faith is conveyed through Baptism and is lived through every day. Faith in its ordinary meaning encompasses loyalty and trust, so you may have faith in a football team that lets you down, but remain loyal. Trust is what you have. Loyalty is what you do.

Faith is the theological virtue that enables us to believe in God and believe in Truth as revealed in Jesus’ words and Word. That’s what makes Pilate’s question, “What is truth?” so interesting. Is Pilate a Nazi Gauleiter jesting with his Jewish victim? Is this a Stoic rhetorical question from his schooldays? Pilate is a man of action. He orders crucifixions, many. He lacks faith, but finds no harm in Jesus. Why?

Faith isn’t intellectual assent to a set of propositions. Nor is it blind, or unthinking. Faith is a Trinity surrounding you with love and support. Believing is related to loving: you may love what you trust, and trust what you love, and see miracles. In the words of Tyndall’s 1526 translation of Luke, “Thy fayth hath made the safe.” Go in peace.

On Faith

I emerged from five years in a theological school convinced that faith is something other than assent to the doctrines of the church. Other also than the customs of the church, which have included anti-Semitism, misogyny (witchcraft trials), racism (apartheid), homophobia (hangings) and support for the Biblical system of slavery. All these Greek words covering up the righteousness of readers.

            We’re living through one of the great international migrations of history. Xenophobia:  another Greek word expressing the thought that while one or two of you is all right, in great waves you feel unmanageable and beyond our scope. Note that Greek words distance in the English language. ‘Anti-Semitism’, not Jew-hating; ‘misogyny,’ not woman-hating; ‘homophobia’ not gay-hating; ‘xenophobia’ not ‘foreigner hating.’

            What kind of faith hates so many? I find a definition of faith based on ‘persuasion’: to be convinced intellectually, ideologically, by words. Some words coming out of some churches make me want to walk.

            Another meaning of faith is trust. Trust what is dependable, reliable, comfortable. (‘Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith.’) Faith, in the ancient world, meant ‘personal loyalty.’ Give loyalty to someone you trust. Who has faith in you? Who can trust us?