tillich ch 2

II. What Faith Is Not

I. The Intellectualistic Distortion of the Meaning of Faith

  • Rejection of Distortions:

    • Understanding faith requires rejecting misleading interpretations that distort its meaning.

    • Such distortions have impacted many people's connection to religion, especially since the advent of the scientific age.

  • Philosophical and Theological Misunderstandings:

    • Misinterpretations arise from philosophical and theological thoughts that fail to capture the essence of faith.

  • Integral Act of the Personality:

    • Faith is a centered act involving the whole personality; distortions can occur when faith is partially equated with one function of the mind.

II. Misinterpretation of Faith

  • Knowledge vs. Belief:

    • A common error is viewing faith as an act of knowledge with insufficient evidence, leading to affirmations of probability.

    • Examples include personal beliefs in information correctness, past events, scientific theories, or behavioral predictions.

  • Trust in Authority:

    • Beliefs often arise from trust in authorities, leading to acceptance without direct evidence.

    • Trust is involved but is not equivalent to faith; it is more foundational than just accepting an authority's perspective.

III. Distinguishing Faith from Other Forms of Knowledge

  • Faith vs. Theoretical Knowledge:

    • Faith does not deal with prescientific or scientific knowledge; it transcends all inquiry.

    • Preliminary beliefs based on hypotheses do not equate to faith.

  • Struggles between Faith and Knowledge:

    • Misunderstanding faith as a type of knowledge leads to conflicts between the two domains.

    • Faith is rooted in ultimate concern, distinct from knowledge which is based on empirical evidence.

IV. Certitude in Faith Compared to Knowledge

  • Types of Certitude:

    • Knowledge can derive absolute certitude from sensory perception or logical principles but lacks real-world application.

    • Certitude in faith is existential, involving a person's entire being and tied to ultimate concern.

  • Existential Nature of Faith:

    • Faith includes both certainty in personal existence related to ultimate concern and a risk involving doubt.

    • This is not a theoretical issue, but rather an existential one.

V. The Voluntaristic Distortion of the Meaning of Faith

  • Catholic Viewpoint:

    • Faith thought of as knowledge with limited evidence complemented by an act of will originates from a longstanding Roman Catholic tradition.

    • This view misrepresents the existential nature of faith, positing that intellect leads faith rather than the other way around.

  • Protestant Viewpoint:

    • Protestant interpretations can lead to a demand for obedience to faith without genuine understanding, leading to arbitrary belief rather than authentic faith.

  • Obedience to Faith:

    • True commitment does not create faith; it arises inherently from recognition of ultimate concern.

    • Faith is not a result of pressure or command; it cannot merely be demanded from individuals.

VI. The Emotionalistic Distortion of the Meaning of Faith

  • Displacement of Faith:

    • Emotionally based interpretations of faith emerged as a retreat from intellectual or will-based understandings of faith.

  • Schleiermacher's Definition:

    • Defines religion as the feeling of unconditional dependence. However, this reduces faith to subjective emotion.

  • Claim of Truth:

    • Faith encompasses the entire person and cannot be relegated to emotions alone; it asserts truth and deep commitment.

    • Faith directs itself toward the unconditional, demanding a rational justification of commitment and concern.