The Role of Faith and Reason in Living a Christian Life

by: John P. Hubert MD

Faith

In this essay we will first consider some information with respect to "proofs". All proofs, whether absolute or practical, fall into the realm of the cognitive, ie, that which is "knowable" by reason (as St. Thomas Aquinas purported). He also argued that not all knowledge of God is attainable though reason, ie, that "grace" acting upon a properly "prepared" human "vessel", would be productive of faith through the power of the Holy Spirit, that is, the belief in that which is hoped for, but not yet seen. For this, God is the necessary agent.

Part of a complete consideration of the Christian Faith lies in the realm of the "cognitive" aspect of the Christian World View, the first "pillar" if you will of Christianity, (Reason). The princples utilized in this endeavor are referred to as "First Principles of Reality", and classically, they define (from a philosophical standpoint), how it is we can "know" anything. Traditionally, there are 12 of these fundamental "First Principles" about the nature of knowing and being. (see First Principles under Philosophy elsewhere on this site). They have been utilized over the years along with some other arguments from reason, (see proofs for God elsewhere on this site) to provide "practical proofs" for a Supreme Being.

The other important "pillar" of the Christian World View is Faith. Reason and Faith subsist together. They do not exist in a vaccuum. Christian Apologetics is the intellectual defense of the faith utilizing primarily the cognitive pillar, or that which is "knowable" by reason.

It is important to understand that not even in science do we have 100% proof of anything. Most scientific laws and principles attain what is termed practical proof, ie greater than 95% likelyhood on the lower end up through 99.999999999999....% likelyhood on the upper end. A much lesser degree of assurance or plausibility is accepted in other realms, such as in the civil law where 51% likelyhood (preponderance of the evidence) is deemed acceptable to determine factual evidence. When you ask for cognitive proof, you are asking for evidence of this type, (51%-99.999999999...% likely or probable),ie., non-transcendent evidence, that is, evidence which is not absolute (100%accurate) from a Human perspective. This is true since we are not transcendent beings, we exist in a finite Universe and can not "know" omnisciently. The transcendent God of Christianity however is infinite, transcendent, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, and by definition not limited to the Universe in which we reside. The Christian God does have the power and intelligence to make 100% accurate statements about himself and everything else. Now the question which logically follows, is, how can we know about him.

Two lines of "evidence" are classically presented. First, that from General Revelation ie, all of Biological and Non-Biological Physical (Natural) reality. Second, evidence from Special Revelation, which usually refers to the Bible, (Old and New Testaments), but may also include special mystical experiences of God (generaly only valuable to the individual who experiences it), archeological artifacts, secular historical records, miracles etc.

In order to fully apprehend God as defined by Christian Monotheism, it is best for a Human Being to appreciate as much of God's General and Special Revelation as possible. This requires, in-depth study of His Word in Holy Scripture where he reveals Himself (among other things as a Triune entity in unity, that is; 3 who's in 1 what, a unique feature found in only Christianity). It is a mystery which is not completely understandable by any Human Being, but God has revealed this about Himself and therefore, Christians accept it as true, cognitively inferable perhaps, but not cognitively proveable in the sense referred to above. This is an example of the role of faith in the life of a Christian.

Second, a serious student of Christianity will also read the commentaries of other great Churchmen, such as the Church Fathers, Augustine, Aquinas, Anselm, Luther, Calvin, etc. and those contemporary Theologians and Christian Philosophers who are prolific. Third, the serious student of Christianity will pray to God for guidance, faith, and ask forgiveness for his/her past sinful life, will repent (turn away ) from those sinful and habitual practices, and will join a "church community" of one denomination or another in which to have fellowship and grow in the understanding and practice of worship and the Faith. Fourth, periodic "fasting" and meditation is highly useful in "listening" to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

The author can personally testify that the above approach is highly rewarding. Everyone is encouraged to thoroughly investigate the truth claims of Jesus of Nazareth. He is God in the Flesh, he is my Saviour, he can be yours too.

All essays