Day Three: Faith and Religion

Day Three

“Whom do you Trust?” I start the class with this question. My students take a few moments to write down the name of someone they Trust. It is an important question. The ones we Trust often are the one who will influence us the greatest. So, as we discuss later in class, we need to be aware of those in whom we place our greatest Trust. To flippantly Trust based simply on superficial or material Truths of popularity or excitement is to place ourselves in great danger of being led in a wrong direction.

They seem surprised when I show that somewhat disturbing scene from Alladin where Jasmine is visited on her balcony by the main character and as he stands on the magic carpet and asks her if she wants to go for a ride. He creepily inquires: “Do you Trust me?” Maybe it is just the animation and the over-sized eyes in head head that creeps me out, but we make this part of our prayer. I ask students to reflect on what it means to Trust and how if we are to really Trust another, we are also making an unspoken claim about the authority of those in whom we place our Trust. Certainly, the leap is not too great; if we say that God is the highest authority, then perhaps we should be placing all of our Trust in Him.

We discuss the characteristics of people we Trust. We tend to say words like “honest”, “honorable”, “kind”, “Loving”, and “caring”.  These are some of the many word we use to describe those whom we Trust. Ultimately, though, I ask students why they continue to Trust these people, even if they have shown many of these great attributes. Ultimately, though, what we are talking about is Faith. To Trust another is to have Faith that they will provide for us, whether that provision comes in the form of material, emotional, or really any form of help or support. We so easily and proudly claim to Trust our friends and family… we have Faith in them. Now, maybe we should be more open to having Faith in God.

Christianity is not a religion about God, it is a RELATIONSHIP with God. And although God is transcendent, there can still be reason to believe in Him. In fact, because God is transcendent, in order to know anything about Him or to really develop a relationship with Him, we need signs, symbols, and most importantly, Sacraments. The Truth of God cannot be comprehended by human intellect; we need material Truths that point to more transcendent Truths. In terms of Sacrament, God actually gives us material Truths that are also encounters with the Transcendent.

But we encounter those Truths in multiple ways. Faith and Religion, while often conflated, are two very different ways in which we encounter the Transcendent Truth of God. While they are different, Faith and Religion are necessarily complementary.

The first objective for the day is:  Students will be able to differentiate between Faith and Religion. Thinking back to symbols and signs, symbols and signs are like invitations to do something or to think about something. God uses symbols and signs to “get our attention". It is God who invites us into relationship with Him, not vice-versa. If we believe that God is personally inviting us into a relationship with Him, then it stands to reason that He will often use methods that are most becoming our individual and unique character. Belief in God based on personal, intimate signs or symbols, is Faith. Faith is the individual response to the signs that God gives to us. It is not too different from being asked out on a date. (I teach girls; this works). The more personal the sign a Love interest shows you, the more likely you will respond. Generic signs from a potential date often fall short. God, who seeks to woo us, presents us with the same personal and, as we will discuss later, efficacious, signs. If we say "yes", our response is Faith…Trust that He will Love us.

This is how we understand God as one who Loves us individually and is dedicated to the heart of the individual. However, there is always more to God. As I teach later in the week, God is community…God is Trinity. Therefore, it is not enough for God to encounter us individually; He  encounters us communally, as well. We need to encounter Him with and through our community. This is religion.

Religion is the organized communal expression of a particular faith. It is how a community works together to develop relationships with God. While Faith is a personal response to individual symbols or signs, religion is a collective response to symbols or signs to be in a relationship with God.

As a theologian and as a teacher, it helps to always have a primer or a theme that ties all my teaching together. For me, the image and likeness of God as Trinity does just that. I always return to the concept that if we are made in the image and likeness of God, then in order to “look like” God, we must “look like” the Trinity. Be careful not to read that too narratively. Essentially, we cannot “look like” God if it is just the individual “I” and God; it must be “Us” and God. Therefore, while Faith may bring us into initial contact with God, it is religion that makes us “look like” Him.

Both Faith and religion are essential for a complete relationship with God. The response to God’s invitation to be in a relationship with Him is both an individual AND a communal one. Why? Because God is both singular AND communal; God is ONE and God is Community. If we are made in the image and likeness of God and if God is ONE and COMMUNITY, then the best way to respond to His symbols and signs is both as individuals and as community. Faith and Religions are both needed.

We take a breather before we move onto the next objective for the day, just a quick description of where Catholicism falls into the whole Christianity scheme of things. Nothing too tough; just a quick Venn Diagram.

(One of those benefits of living in Colorado.)