www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology What is Faith?

All my friends:
I have been reading a scholarly work on the emergence of the middle class and the new 'humanistic' attitudes that, according to the author, made more difference than the Reformation, various political Revolutions, and other influences that we usually attribute to the appearance of more modern social and economic arrangements.
But my question is what to make of the author's statement that: 'Among the seven principal virtues, faith is the virtue of looking backward, of having an identity'?
I would love to gain some enlightenment on this perspective/definition of faith--from where it comes, its authenticity, and what the Catholic view of a definition of faith is, especially in relation to this statement offered by the author.
Thank you if any can respond.

daria1987:

Christ is in our midst!!

Welcome to the forum.

Bob
Moderator

I certainly wouldn't think of faith as looking backward but, rather, having the courage to look forward. Faith is belief put into action.

Fr. Deacon Ed

Thank you Fr. Deacon Ed. I am not anything like a trained theologian, but my learning so far and my intuition on this is that the author may be trying to remake the idea of faith into something archaic rather than courageous, and in so doing clear the way for 're-identifying' ourselves in some non-religious context.
It is this possibility that disturbs me--and I realize that I have not supplied much of the author's statements to work from here. Nevertheless, history is replete with examples of the idea of re-making humanity into some new image or identity--with horrifying consequences once put into action. I have in mind Timothy Snyder's "Bloodlands", something I happen to be in the process of reading at present. There is no lack of evidence in this direction.
I also note, without intending to negatively bias the discussion (probably inevitable), that the author of the work in question has undergone a transgender transformation, which makes me wonder whether the view of faith is colored by an idea that we are all-powerful, regardless of what God and nature have provided as our given starting point.
So if I were to ask a related question at this point, it would be to ask what is the opposite of faith as we understand it? It isn't a lack of all faith, surely? Maybe a kind of arrogance concerning control and power over life that is not ours to possess?
Thank you.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Copying the literary style of St John Climacus in The Ladder of Divine Ascent one could say, "Hope is the mother of joy and confidence."

Conversely, "Lack of Faith is the mother of worry and pessimism."

Current culture and religion has embraced Humanism over Faith, therefore the downfall of respect for Creation, human life and property.

Fr Deacon Paul