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The Importance Of Faith And Belief

Decent Essays

Human beings have an inherent faith and belief system regardless of whether they are aware of it. It originates from traditions and upbringing and is the center of one’s being. Faith and belief have different content and methods of questioning and understanding the content. It is important to understand the difference and not to interchange faith and belief because it can cause misunderstandings and negative consequences. William K. Clifford and Paul Tillich define faith and faith through descriptions of what they are, what they are not, and how one can reach good faith and belief through asking the right questions based on types of doubt. As a result of faith and belief being elements of the total person and the impact that one’s person has on faith and belief, it is essential to know the discrepancies between each.
According to Tillich, faith is a matter of “ultimate concern” that “promises total fulfillment” (Tillich, 1). Concern is content that is infinite and valued at the core of human beings. Ultimate refers to something that is put above all other values and involves sacrifice as it orients our lives to reach an infinite goal of fulfillment. Faith “is an act of the total personality” (Tillich, 4). It comes from the center of our being and includes all aspects of a person’s life. Genuine faith requires existential doubt which involves questioning even when a finite answer does not exist. It is a risk to put faith in something that is not finite or capable of being

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