Faith does good works

O it is a living, busy active mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good things incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done this, and is constantly doing them. Whoever does not do such works, however, is an unbeliever. He gropes and looks around for faith and good works, but knows neither what faith is nor what good works are. Yet he talks and talks, with many words, about faith and good works.

Martin Luther, Preface to Romans

Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence

Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence.

Richard Dawkins,

From speech at the Edinburgh International Science Festival, April 15, 1992.

Would that include faith in induction, scientism, Naturalism, atheistic morality, macro-evolution…?

How hateful is the light of day to me, And all the weary tasks of daily life

How hateful is the light of day to me,
And all the weary tasks of daily life.
Without the faith, which ever led me on,
And gave me hope through thickest clouds of pain!

Bertrand Russell, on giving up faith in God

in Ray Monk, Bertrand Russell (vol.1), p.40

By faith are we saved only, in believing the promises. And though faith be never without love and good works, yet is our saving imputed neither to love nor unto good works, but unto faith only

By faith are we saved only, in believing the promises. And though faith be never without love and good works, yet is our  saving imputed neither to love nor unto good works, but unto faith only. For love and works are under the law, which requireth perfection and the ground and fountain of the heart, and damneth all imperfectness. Now is faith under the promises, which damn not; but give pardon, grace, mercy, favor, and whatsoever is contained in the promises.

William Tyndale, A PATHWAY INTO THE HOLY SCRIPTURE,

If Dad makes you feel secure, who makes Dad feel secure?

If Dad makes you feel secure, who makes Dad feel secure?

Girl on Norwich Union (Insurance company, now Aviva) advert (November, 2003)

Presumably the answer is not meant to be God…

For faith is understanding’s step; and understanding faith’s attainment

The mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God first seek for believing men, that they may make them understanding. For faith is understanding’s step; and understanding faith’s attainment. This the Prophet expressly says to all who prematurely and in undue order look for understanding, and neglect faith. For he says, ‘Unless ye believe, you shall not understand.’ (Isa. 7.9, LXX)

Augustine, sermon 76 on the New Testament

Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you might believe, but believe that you may understand

Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you might believe, but believe that you may understand.

Augustine, De Utilitate Credendi, 22-25 and In Joan Evang. xxix, 6

science is not religion and it doesn’t just come down to faith. Although it has many of religion’s virtues, it has none of its vices. Science is based upon verifiable evidence

…science is not religion and it doesn’t just come down to faith. Although it has many of religion’s virtues, it has none of its vices. Science is based upon verifiable evidence. Religious faith not only lacks evidence, its independence from evidence is its pride and joy, shouted from the rooftops. Why else would Christians wax critical of doubting Thomas? The other apostles are held up to us as exemplars of virtue because faith was enough for them. Doubting Thomas, on the other hand, required evidence. Perhaps he should be the patron saint of scientists.

Richard Dawkins,

Is Science a Religion?,

the Humanist, January/February 1997

1. But the other apostles did have evidence. They saw Jesus’ miracles, the empty tomb, his resurrection, hte testimony of others to the same events.

2. Thomas was not criticised because he asked for evidence. He was criticised for lacking faith when he had so much evidence. He had the testimony of the other 10 apostles; he had seen Jesus’ miracles; he had heard the testimony of the empty tomb etc.

3. Science does rest on faith: faith in induction, a uniform, ordered, law-governed universe, uniformitarianism, the reliability of the senses, the reliability and credibility of scientists etc. Dawkins overlooks these ‘minor’ matters.

People demand proof for God. But the infinite personal God is not like an impersonal finite object

People demand proof for God. But the infinite personal God is not like an impersonal finite object. The relationship of faith in God is one of personal trust; it’s not like proving water boils at 100%. In a relationship such as marriage, trust is essential. There are good reasons to trust my wife but to demand proof of her fidelity would not be a sign of a healthy trusting relationship.

Faith in the God of the Bible is not without its evidences and these should be sought out just as I should get to know whether a potential spouse is trustworthy. But relationships are built on trust not continual ‘proof’. The reasonableness of the trust that is placed in a person grows in the context of the relationship.

philosophies which claim to be based upon reason alone turn out to be elaborate rationalizations which conceal the initial act of faith upon which they are based

Every philosopher who attempts to build a metaphysic is ultimately dependent upon some ‘faith principle’…even those philosophies which claim to be based upon reason alone without any admixture of faith, always turn out upon examination to be elaborate rationalizations which conceal the initial act of faith upon which they are based. Reason cannot walk by its own light, and must seek the illumination of some principle of interpretation which reason itself does not contain. The general paralysis of metaphysical speculation in an age like our own in which philosophers are reluctant to believe in anything at all or to make any kind of venture of faith is the unwitting endorsement on the part of modern skepticism itself of the truth of the Christian view that reason is blind until faith takes it by the hand.

Alan Richardson?