What Is Faith? (Aquinas 101)

Summary

This script challenges the misconception that faith is irrational or unsupported by evidence. It explains that faith is a natural part of human life, involving trust in the testimony of others, which is reasonable when the source is credible. Examples include trusting a doctor's diagnosis, historical records, or a teacher's expertise. The script also draws a parallel between this everyday faith and the Christian faith in divine testimony, suggesting that faith in God's infallible word is even more reasonable. It emphasizes the role of faith as a gift from God, guided by the Spirit, and not solely based on rational evidence.

Takeaways

• 😌 Faith is often misunderstood as believing without evidence or as a purely subjective feeling, but these views are flawed.
• 👀 Faith is not unreasonable; it involves trusting the testimony of others when we cannot verify something ourselves.
• 🌅 Examples of faith in everyday life include believing a friend about a sunset or trusting a doctor's diagnosis.
• 🧠 Faith is not just about believing without reason; it's about trusting the word of a witness, which can be reasonable if the witness is reliable.
• 🏥 Acts of faith are common in society, such as trusting airlines to fly safely or a surgeon to perform a successful operation.
• 📚 Faith is essential for learning and understanding history, science, and even our own personal histories.
• 🤔 The necessity of faith in human life suggests that it is not only reasonable but also a natural part of how we function as a society.
• 🔍 While it's important to consider the credibility of our sources, it's not feasible to verify every piece of information personally, making faith a practical necessity.
• 📖 The script draws a parallel between the natural human faith in others' testimony and the supernatural faith in God's word as revealed in Christianity.
• ✝️ Christian faith is seen as a gift from God, not just a rational conclusion based on evidence, but a belief in divine testimony that is beyond human fallibility.

Q & A

What is the common misconception about faith mentioned in the script?

The common misconception is that faith means believing something without any evidence or verification, or that it is merely a subjective feeling about something like God or the meaning of life.

How does the script differentiate faith from knowledge based on evidence?

The script differentiates faith from knowledge by explaining that knowledge is based on evidence that is either evident to one's senses or reason, whereas faith is believing something based on the word or testimony of another person.

What is the script's definition of faith?

The script defines faith as believing something on the word or testimony of another person, especially when that person is a credible witness.

Why is faith considered reasonable according to the script?

Faith is considered reasonable in the script because it is based on the testimony of trustworthy witnesses, and it is a natural and ordinary part of human life that allows us to learn and function in society.

Give an example from the script where faith is necessary in everyday life.

One example is when a doctor diagnoses a specific disease; believing the doctor's diagnosis is an act of faith.

How does the script relate human faith to Christian faith?

The script relates human faith to Christian faith by drawing an analogy between the natural trust in human testimony and the supernatural gift of faith in God and Jesus Christ, suggesting that if it is reasonable to trust human testimony, it is even more reasonable to trust the infallible word of God.

What does the script say about the necessity of faith in learning and societal function?

The script argues that faith is a necessary and inescapable part of life, as without it, individuals and societies would not be able to function effectively, learn, or build relationships.

How does the script describe the role of faith in scientific endeavors?

The script describes faith in scientific endeavors as necessary when scientists trust each other's findings without double-checking every claim with independent experiments or studies.

What does the script suggest about the importance of evaluating the sources of our faith?

The script suggests that it is important to consider the sources of our faith, think about who we are believing, and evaluate their qualifications and credentials with care.

How does the script explain the role of the Holy Spirit in Christian faith?

The script explains that the Holy Spirit plays a role in Christian faith by being the gift of God that moves individuals, in coordination with the Church, to believe everything that God has revealed.

What does the script suggest as a way to learn more about the topics discussed?

The script suggests visiting Aquinas101.com for readings, podcasts, and free video courses on Aquinas to learn more about the topics discussed.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Understanding Faith Beyond Sensations and Reason

This paragraph clarifies misconceptions about faith, emphasizing that it is not merely believing without evidence or a subjective feeling. It explains that faith involves trusting the testimony of others, which is a reasonable act when the witness is reliable. The paragraph gives examples of everyday acts of faith, such as trusting a doctor's diagnosis, a history book's account, or a teacher's pronunciation guide. It illustrates how faith is an integral part of human life, necessary for learning and functioning in society. The trust people place in airlines and surgeons, despite the risks involved, further exemplifies the role of faith in our decisions and actions.

05:03

🌟 The Centrality of Faith in Human and Christian Life

The second paragraph delves into the necessity of faith for an individual's functionality and societal progress. It argues that without faith in others' words, learning and relationships would be impossible. The paragraph then draws a parallel between the general human faith in testimony and the Christian faith in divine revelation. It cites biblical references to support the idea that faith in God's infallible word is more reasonable than faith in fallible human witnesses. The paragraph concludes by suggesting that while faith is a gift from God, it is also supported by rational signs and should be embraced as part of a harmonious relationship with the Church and the pursuit of truth.

Keywords

💡Faith

Faith, in the context of the video, is defined as believing something based on the testimony of others, rather than direct evidence or reason. It is portrayed as a natural and necessary part of human life, essential for trusting in the expertise of others, such as doctors, historians, or even family members. The video argues that faith is not irrational but a reasonable reliance on credible witnesses. For instance, when a doctor diagnoses a disease, the patient's acceptance of this diagnosis is an act of faith in the doctor's expertise.

💡Evidence

Evidence in the video is discussed in two forms: that which is evident to the senses and that which is evident to reason. The video explains that when one believes something because it is directly perceived or logically deduced, it is not an act of faith but of knowing. For example, seeing the sun set or understanding that 2 + 2 = 4 are acts of knowing based on sensory or rational evidence, respectively.

💡Reason

Reason is used in the video to describe the faculty of the mind by which truths are perceived or inferred logically. It is contrasted with faith in that it relies on one's own mental processes to understand and accept something as true. The video gives the example of understanding mathematical truths like 'every whole is greater than a part of it' through the use of reason.

💡Testimony

Testimony is a central concept in the video, referring to the act of bearing witness or providing a firsthand account of an event or fact. Believing something on the word or testimony of another person is what constitutes faith. The video uses the example of a friend witnessing a sunset and reporting it to you, which you accept as true through faith in your friend's testimony.

💡Witness

A witness, as discussed in the video, is a person who has firsthand knowledge of an event or fact and can provide testimony about it. The act of faith involves trusting the word of a witness. The video emphasizes that if the witness is trustworthy, believing their testimony is reasonable, as in the case of believing a surgeon's advice before undergoing brain surgery.

💡Rationality

Rationality in the video is associated with the ability to think, understand, and make judgments logically. It is contrasted with the common misconception that faith is irrational. The video argues that faith is, in fact, rational when it is based on the testimony of credible witnesses, as it involves using one's reason to assess the trustworthiness of the witness.

💡Supernatural

The supernatural is mentioned in the video to describe the realm beyond the natural world and its laws. It is used to distinguish between human faith, which is based on the testimony of other humans, and the Christian faith, which involves belief in the supernatural, such as God and Jesus Christ. The video suggests that if human faith is reasonable, then faith in divine testimony is even more so.

💡Infallible

Infallible in the video refers to the quality of being incapable of error or deception. It is used to describe God, who is presented as a perfect witness, in contrast to human witnesses who are fallible. The video argues that if it is reasonable to have faith in fallible human witnesses, it is even more reasonable to have faith in the infallible word of God.

💡Spirit of Truth

The Spirit of Truth is a concept from Christian theology mentioned in the video, referring to the Holy Spirit's role in guiding believers to the truth. It is described as the force that moves individuals to have faith in divine revelation, beyond mere rational consideration of evidence. The video suggests that while faith is a gift from God, it is also supported by rational signs that can be assessed by believers.

💡Divine Testimony

Divine testimony in the video is the concept of believing in the word of God, which is presented as a higher form of faith compared to human testimony. It is the acceptance of religious truths and teachings not just based on human accounts but on the belief in the divine origin of these teachings. The video uses biblical references to illustrate how early Christians distinguished between human and divine testimony.

Highlights

Faith is often misunderstood as believing without evidence or as a purely subjective feeling.

Faith is not unreasonable; it is a belief based on the testimony of others.

Belief can be based on sensory evidence or rational evidence.

Faith involves trusting the testimony of others, even when it's not directly experienced.

Faith is a natural part of human life, necessary for learning and functioning in society.

Examples of faith in everyday life include trusting doctors, historians, and language teachers.

Faith is necessary for basic social interactions, such as learning names and personal history.

The willingness to fly on an airplane or undergo surgery is an act of faith in the expertise of others.

Faith is central to human life, and living without it would be dysfunctional.

Faith is reasonable when based on credible witnesses and their qualifications.

Christian faith is an analogy to human faith, but it involves belief in the infallible word of God.

The First Letter of John and the First Letter to the Thessalonians highlight the reasonableness of faith in divine testimony.

Faith is not solely based on rational evidence but is a gift from God, inspired by the Spirit of truth.

The Spirit moves individuals to believe in divine revelation, in harmony with the Church.

For further exploration of these concepts, resources are available at Aquinas101.com.

Faith is an integral part of both individual and societal functioning.

Transcripts

Many people think that faith means believing  something without any evidence or verification.  

Or worse, they think that faith is just  a subjective feeling about something  

such as God or the meaning of life. Both of these  views make faith out to be something unreasonable  

or irrational. But both of these views are serious  mistakes about what faith is. So, what is faith?  

And is it possible for anyone to live without it?  

Sometimes, people believe something because it is  evident to their senses. For example, the sun went  

down at 7pm this evening. Why do you believe  that? “I saw it and looked at my watch as it  

was happening” someone might say. Or the water on  the stove is getting hot. Why do you believe that?  

Because “I touched it” the person might say. At  other times, people believe something not because  

it is evident to the senses but because it is  evident to their reason. 2 + 2 = 4, or every whole  

is greater than a part of it. One can see these  things, and other truths like them, with the  

eyes of intelligence. Now, when someone judges  something to be true either because it is evident  

to their senses or because it is evident to their  reason, the judgment is not a matter of faith.  

It is a matter of knowing these things. One sees  such truths either with the senses or with the  

mind. Sometimes, however, one believes something  not because it is evident to one’s own senses  

or because it is evident to one’s own reason, but  because someone else sees it and testifies to it.  

Perhaps a friend saw the sunset  at 7pm while you were inside,  

and reported it to you. Believing something on  the word or testimony of another person is called  

faith. Faith, then, is not a case of believing  something without any evidence or reason at all,  

but a case of believing something with another  kind of evidence besides one’s own senses or  

reason. Faith is believing on the word of a  witness. If the witness is trustworthy, then  

it is quite reasonable to believe the testimony.  When faith is properly understood for what it is,  

as believing something on the word of another,  it is clear that faith is an ordinary and natural  

part of human life. When a doctor says  you have a specific disease, for example,  

to believe the doctor is an act of faith. When  a history book says George Washington camped at  

Valley Forge in the winter of 1777, to believe  the book is an act of faith. When a teacher of  

a foreign language says this is how a certain word  is pronounced, to believe it is an act of faith.  

When you believe your mother when she tells you  where you were born, it is an act of faith. Same  

too with believing your birth certificate.  When your mother tells you that this man is  

your father, that too is an act of faith. Who else  knows that but she? And if you say that a DNA test  

confirms that this man is your father, well  unless you are an expert in reading DNA tests,  

that too is an act of faith in the expert. In  fact, to learn how to read DNA tests requires many  

acts of faith in science textbooks over the course  of one’s education, and scientists regularly make  

acts of faith when they report their findings to  one another and believe one another. In practice,  

they do not double check each other’s every  claim with independent experiments or studies.  

In fact, human beings will take tremendous  risks on the faith we have in one another.  

Every time someone flies on a plane, for  example, the airline company says what? They say  

in effect, “we are going to put you in this metal  tube, lift you up thousands of feet into the air,  

and hurl you through the sky at hundreds of miles  per hour. But you will be fine. Just trust us.”  

And people trust the airlines every day and  climb on board knowing full well that from  

time to time planes crash and burn and people die.  Or think of a case of someone with a brain tumor.  

After being diagnosed with a brain tumor, the  surgeon says “Okay, so you need brain surgery.  

In the surgery, first I am going to cut open  your skull. Then I am going to take a knife and  

insert it into your brain. Then I will cut out  the tumor and probably a portion of your brain  

with it. But you’ll be fine. Just trust me.”  And people go in for brain surgeries every day.  

Flying on planes, going for surgeries, and other  acts of faith are all ordinary and reasonable  

things to do. If someone were to try to live  without ever believing what other people say, that  

person would become dysfunctional. How would you  ever learn history, science, foreign languages,  

or even your first language. In fact, how would  you learn someone’s name? You meet someone for the  

first time. “Hi, my name is Joe. What’s your name?  Bob. I don’t believe you. Prove it.” Relationships  

go nowhere without faith. In fact, how do you  know your own name? Someone told you. Perhaps  

your parents or family members. All of this goes  to show just how central faith is to human life.  

Faith is a natural and inescapable part of life,  and without it neither individuals nor societies  

could function. Faith in general,  therefore, is a reasonable thing.  

It is of course necessary to consider our  sources, think about who we are believing,  

consider their qualifications and credentials, and  evaluate it all with care. But it is not possible  

to double check all one’s sources all the time, so  just what the requirements are for double checking  

is a big philosophical question. But it  is safe to say that credible witnesses  

make for a reasonable faith. Now what does all of  this have to do with Christian faith? What we have  

been discussing so far is human faith, the faith  that human beings naturally and ordinarily have in  

each other’s testimony. But from the earliest  days, Christians saw a comparison or analogy  

between that natural and ordinary human faith and  the supernatural gift of faith in God and Jesus  

Christ. For example, it says in the First Letter  of John: “If we believe the word of men, how much  

greater is the word of God.” In other words, if  it is a reasonable thing for human beings to have  

faith in the word of merely human witnesses even  though humans are fallible and often mistaken,  

how much more reasonable is it for  us to have faith in the word of God  

who is infallible, makes no mistakes, and cannot  either deceive or be deceived. Another example:  

In the First Letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul  says: “And we also thank God constantly for this,  

that when you received the word of God which  you heard from us, you accepted it not as the  

word of men but as what it really is, the word  of God…” That passage shows how conscious the  

early Christians were of believing not only  human testimony, but divine testimony – the  

word of God. So, too, it should be with us. What  we believe by faith is not merely human testimony,  

but the word of the living God. There are many  signs to confirm that it is in fact the word  

of God, the signs are accessible to reason, and  we shall look at them in later videos. And yet  

faith is not born from merely rational reflection  upon evidence or signs. Faith is a gift of God  

born from the Spirit of truth at work within our  souls and illuminating everything. The Spirit  

moves us, in coordination with the whole Church,  to believe everything that God has revealed.  

For readings, podcasts, and more  videos like this go to Aquinas101.com.  

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