Tuesday 25th April 2006
by christo
“Many Christians, as well as members of other religious groups, feel anxiety, guilt and despair about what they call a “loss of faith.” But serious doubt is confirmation of faith. It indicates the seriousness of the concern, its unconditional character.” – Paul Tillich
hmm . . . I think that doubt is definitely a part of this present reality.
“‘Father,’ I said, ‘forgive me, but how am I to know surely that this also is not a part of the lovely dream in which I am now walking with thyself?’
‘Thou doubtest because thou lovest the truth. Some would willingly believe life but a phantasm, if only it might for ever afford them a world of pleasant dreams: thou art not of such! Be content for a while not to know surely. The hour will come, and that ere long, when, being true, thou shalt behold the very truth, and doubt will be for ever dead. Scarce, then, wilt thou be able to recall the features of the phantom. Thou wilt then know that which thou canst not now dream. Thou hast not yet looked the Truth in the face, hast as yet at best but seen him through a cloud. That which thou seest not, and never didst see save in a glass darkly-that which, indeed, never can be known save by its innate splendour shining straight into pure eyes-that thou canst not but doubt, and art blameless in doubting until thou seest it face to face, when thou wilt no longer be able to doubt it.”
-Lilith, George MacDonald
mmmm. touche. I recognize that for me much is theory. I do know doubt, I suppose it is part of the process? perhaps it is arrogance to suggest it actually vanishes at some point. I don’t know the answer, even though I think I do.
but what do you mean, by saying that we must articulate the doubt that exists, do we tell the other, say to them that we doubt their love? I have done that. but what about when the person doesn’t know…
I am still unsure if I understand what you mean by the second statement. doubt is a necessary precondition for unity.
A person who doesn’t allow the possibility of doubt in a relationship will never get married. And a person who doesn’t articulate the doubt existing in a relationship will never be one with another.
often faith in Christ is likened to a marriage, would you want to or feel comfortable doubting the love of your spouse? no less, living in that doubt?
Pastor on Sunday dropped the quote – I couldn’t recall where I heard Tillich before, but good to know some other people are paying attention.
What were you arguing in the paper, Ian?
thomas: It’s either a love affair with a certainty or with the pursuit of certainty.
Frederick Buechner, who is probably the greatest Christian novelist alive today, studied under Tillich at Union Theological Seminary and in the intro to John Irving’s novel, “A Prayer for Owen Meany” Buechner says this:
““Without somehow destroying me in the process, how could God reveal himself in a way that would leave no room for doubt? If there were no room for doubt, there would be no room for me.””
I think there is a lot of truth in both men’s statements – why do we fear doubt? why this love affair with certainty?
“Faith as ultimate concern is an act of the total personality. It happens in the center of the personal life and includes all its elements. Faith is the most centered act of the human mind. It is not a movement of a special section or a special function of man’s total being. They all are united in the act of faith. But faith is not the sum total of their impacts. It transcends every special impact as well as the totality of them and it has itself a decisive impact on each of them.”
- Paul Tillich, The Dynamics of Faith
I like Tillich. Quoted him in my jurisprudence paper last semester.
Yeah, I’d go with that.