The Logic of Mystery & the Necessity of Faith

Nova et Vetera, 2010

While faith seeks understanding, reason and science themselves rely on implicit assumptions about the intelligibility of the world. This article argues that these assumptions presuppose the existence and the attributes of the creator God of classical theism. Once this is acknowledged, faith and reason – while remaining methodologically separate – will cease to appear as enemies.

2020

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the volume “Beyond Faith and Rationality: Essays on Logic, Religion and Philosophy”. We briefly sketch, in a first step, what analytic and logical philosophy are all about, and, in a second step, clarify the particular features of analytic philosophy of religion and logical philosophy of religion. In the last section we then survey the contributions of the volume.

2017

This paper is seeking a balanced understanding of faith in relation to the created world. It is pointed out that the matters of faith stay beyond the realm of empirical experience. Therefore, it is difficult to prove the existence of God. Natural theology is helpful in thinking about faith and creation but only within the context of revealed theology.

Article , 2025

Faith and reason are two fundamental concepts that have shaped human thought, belief systems, and our understanding of existence. Faith is often defined as a belief in something that may not be provable through empirical evidence or rational means. At the same time, reason is the cognitive process through which individuals draw logical conclusions based on available data and methodologies. The interplay between faith and reason has been a subject of intense philosophical inquiry, particularly regarding how these two forms of understanding coexist, conflict, or complement each other in the pursuit of truth and knowledge. Historically, various thinkers have proposed different models to explain the relationship between faith and reason. Some argue for a conflict model, suggesting that when faith and reason address the same questions, they often yield contradictory answers. Conversely, others advocate for an incompatibilist model, positing that faith and reason pertain to distinct realms-faith addressing spiritual truths and reason focusing on empirical realities and therefore reason as the ultimate authority 1. The weak compatibilist model suggests a dialogue between the two, allowing for a harmonious coexistence where both can inform one another without undermining their unique contributions 2. Finally, the strong compatibilist model asserts that faith can be supported by rational arguments, as seen in natural theology. This essay will explore these models in depth, examining key arguments surrounding the authority of faith and reason, their interrelationship, and the implications for human belief systems. By analyzing historical perspectives and contemporary interpretations, we aim to illuminate how faith and reason together shape our understanding of reality. II. Historical Perspective on Faith and Reason The historical relationship between faith and reason has evolved significantly through various philosophical and theological perspectives. Initially, in the early Christian context, thinkers like Tertullian emphasized a conflict model, suggesting that faith transcends reason, famously stating 1 "Faith and Reason," Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2 "Reason and Faith: A Conflict through the History of Philosophy," ResearchGate.

A novel account of the rationality of religious belief is offered, called quasi- fideism. According to this proposal, we are neither to think of religious belief as completely immune to rational evaluation nor are we to deny that it involves fundamental commitments which are arational. Moreover, a parity argument is presented to the effect that religious belief is no different from ordinary rational belief in presupposing such fundamental arational commitments. This proposal is shown to be rooted in Wittgenstein’s remarks on hinge commitments in On Certainty, remarks which it is claimed were in turn influenced by John Henry Newman’s treatment of the rationality of religious belief in An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent.

Studia Theologica Varsaviensia

The purpose of this article is to determine the nature of religious faith and various types of rationality, with special emphasis on instrumental rationality, to characterise the link between faith and reason, and to reveal the insufficiency of instrumental reason in the sphere of faith. Instrumental reason is limited to the practical pursuits, which forces man to rely on a different type of mental activity in other spheres of life, such as religiousness. The paper is divided into three parts. The first section presents the nature of religious faith (religious faith as a psychological attitude of the followers and as a set of theses accepted in a given religion; existential and cognitive dimension of faith; the relationship between faith and revelation; assertion of religious truth). The second section outlines the nature of modern rationality (pluralism of rationality, its types, instrumental reason). The third section focuses on the relationship between religious faith and human r...

Ars Disputandi