Faith….
Here is faith as it was looked at in my Intro to Theology class at Marian College.
Faith is defined as a personal relationship, both given and made. It is not something we have, but something we do (action).
It is characterized by:
1. Confidence (trust)
2. Convictions (beliefs)
3. Commitments (rooted in choice, lived out over time)
4. Rooted in ongoing conversion (change over time)
5. Placed within a community
6. Celebrated (in worship)
7. Subsequently confirmed or not
8. Meant to pervade the whole of one’s life and living
Paul Tillich defined faith as ultimate concern. James Fowler, a psychologist took Kohlberg’s 6 stages of moral development and make a list of the 6 stages of faith development.
Stage 1: Intuitive Projective
Childs faith is shaped by the moods and affectivity of the primary adults, in whose relationship they participate.
Stage 2: Mythic Literal
Communication of meaning through narrative logic. “Story book” faith
Stage 3: Synthetic-conventional or Group faith
“I believe what we believe”
Stage 4: Individual-reflective/personal faith
Question of personal significance, meaning
Individuative
Reflective
Stage 5: Conjunctive/consolidative/paradoxical faith/mythic-ecclesial
Two-fold unity
Rediscover Church
Stage 6: Universalizing/sacrificial/prophetic
Possibly misleading title
Insufficient empirical set
Reprise of 1-5 in relationship
Heroic/sacrificial faith
Bernard of Clairvaux approached faith in 4 stages:
1. I love me
2. I love God for what God can do for me
3. I love God just for being God
4. Standing in God’s love, I love all that God loves, including me
Monday, May 19, 2008
Faith and faith development
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4 comments:
Kirby, can you do me a favor and tell me what the opposite of faith is, and what that word "should" mean to us? What is it to be unfaithful to God?
Fear..The opposite of faith is fear. Faith is of God, but fear is of Satan. 1 John 4:18...God is perfect love. In Him I have placed my faith, and he casts out all fear.
Can you link that to a greek word for me? I'd be interested to know the original meaning of the word.
Here is the Hebrew....Greek to come later.
Faith---אמן ('aman) occurs 247 times in 231 verses in the KJV
1) to support, confirm, be faithful
a) (Qal)
1) to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish
a) foster-father (subst.)
b) foster-mother, nurse
c) pillars, supporters of the door
b) (Niphal)
1) to be established, be faithful, be carried, make firm
a) to be carried by a nurse
b) made firm, sure, lasting
c) confirmed, established, sure
d) verified, confirmed
e) reliable, faithful, trusty
c) (Hiphil)
1) to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in
a) stand firm
b) trust, believe
Fear---ירא (yare') occurs 400 times in 385 verses in the KJV
1) to fear, revere, be afraid
a) (Qal)
1) to fear, be afraid
2) to stand in awe of, be awed
3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect
b) (Niphal)
1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared
2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe
3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe
c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify
2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour
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