For more than a thousand years since Christianity introduced the articles of faith, i.e., Jesus Christ died but will come again; He is the son of God, Holy Trinity, etc., Christian and non-Christian thinkers have debated on the relationship between faith and reason. St. Augustine’s rendering of it is that faith seeks understanding. Understanding, said to be limited, cannot even grasp the meaning of the objects of faith. For that man will forever be in a state of despair, a state in which his heart and mind will forever seek answers to the fundamental questions of life and purpose. For Christians, it is necessary to believe first before understanding. Once understanding has faith to guide its quest, understanding will finally find the answer to the mysteries of life. And, man will find eternal happiness.
Why is this situation problematic?
Faith vs. Reason
Faith is a belief in certain things or metaphysical beings whose nature and ways are, to any human being, incomprehensible. Faith is unconditional; and as such, one is said to have faith when he places no terms and conditions for him to decide to believe.
Reason is a human ability to understand what is humanly comprehensible: Einstein’s General theory of relativity, which very few human beings understand, is nonetheless comprehensible; and, deep and universal human experiences such as selfless love and compassion. A child may not grasp the deeper meaning of life yet. By the time he grows in experience and reflection, those experiences become intelligible and appreciated. True, there are mysteries that cannot be solved in anyone’s lifetime, or more accurately are not to be solved. They are rather to be embraced by all human beings. These unsolvable mysteries weren’t meant to be solved. The encounter - if one finds time for reflection - only deepens our appreciation of life once we have stopped looking for answers and accept and them for what they are.
So, if reason cannot grasp that which is way beyond the realm of human experience, then it does not make sense – not only in the logical sense, but also in the human sense that it can be understood by the most mature of men – to put trust in that which no man can ever hope to gain knowledge.
My stand is very simple: if I can’t make sense of it all, then I do not try to make sense of it all. If these objects of faith are beyond human comprehension, then why should I even be bothered by them at all. If they can not be verified to be true or false; worse, still not experiential like the mysteries of livingness, then why bother myself with them? Life is complex, whose mysteries are experiential, to be embraced, not to be solved. Why then complicate life even further with things that are beyond the realm of human experience? Why not deal and live with the mysteries and problems of life rather than waste time and energy on things outside human experience?
Belief and Trust
I think that the long time problem between faith and reason can be dissolved (as opposed to being solved) by introducing ‘trust’.
I learn to trust and therefore believe in a living person because he is ethically principled. Trust and therefore belief is directed towards a living person, not in someone who died a long time ago. If the living person was influenced by someone whom I have never met, and this living person is ethically principled and spoke dearly of this influential person, then I shall consider his life and the moral stories told about him by a living person whom I have encountered. The formation of trust and belief is established in my direct encounter with a person who deserves my trust and loyalty.
Does that mean I accept - or must accept - everything that he says to be true? Many would think that a follower should. But, our ethics prohibits the formation of a master and slave mentality, a shepherd and his flock. On the contrary, disagreement of views is encouraged and encouraging: on the one hand, it shows that the revered person has taught, through his ethical actions, the value of independent and responsible thinking; on the other, his admirer deepens his respect and love for him. This is a dynamic relationship that no follower or master can appreciate.
Such is belief and trust that deepens our understanding of human relationships, of the encountered mysteries of life. Given time, in his own way, everyone will attain that understanding. It is called wisdom.
