What is Faith?

Hebrews 11:1 gives a straightforward answer: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  But is faith all about convincing ourselves of the reality of things we can't see?  Too often modern Christians hear the second half of this verse, and neglect the two critical words in the first half: assurance, and hope.

I'm continuing to contemplate the idea that there may be no real gap between the Divine Reality (God) and the human reality (us).  God does not have to bridge an infinite distance to reach us, and we are not forever alienated from the Source of our Being. (see previous post) If that's true, however, then it has implications for how we define "faith."


Instead of faith being our ability to trick ourselves into believing that the earth is only 4000 years old, or that God is somehow Three Persons yet One Being, in a no-gap universe faith becomes less about "believing" any particular things, and more about trusting in the essential unity of God's Self and Work (including all of us) in spite of our feelings of loneliness or fear.  Faith might become a way of looking fearlessly into a universe we don't really understand ("assurance"), trusting that we have a place in it ("hope"), and that we are in some way loved and protected while we're here. And that third part, the "loved and protected" part speaks to the quality of relationship that binds all of God's Works to God's Self.

In other words, a no-gap universe is essentially about unity, but as Richard Rohr observes, unity is not uniformity. It is not a demand that all beings think and act (and worship!) alike, but that all beings are in loving and irrevocable relationship with each other.  And that's not a command to be saluted -- love can never be commanded.  It is simply one of the unseen facts of our existence, which we, of course, are free to acknowledge and live into, or reject and deny.  Faith, then, is the willingness to accept God's premise of unity within the infinite variety of Creation, and not create our own separations based on race or gender, wealth or status, nationality, ethnicity, religiosity, ability, or any of the many ways in which we designate some (including the earth itself) as "Other."

I'm leaning toward the Gospel of John here:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  And, "The Father and I are one."  And, "...that all may be one as you, Father, and I are one."  I think this is where a theology of unity will come from.  This is where I will put my faith.  More to come.

(image is from http://insanewind.deviantart.com/art/Japanese-Kanji-Love-Life-Faith-264181182 Thank you)