Theology, Faith and Revelation

FAITH AND REASON Student’s name Course Date Faith and Reason A key issue that differentiates Protestant theology from Catholic theological traditions is the place of reason. While protestant theology mainly emphasizes faith alone, Catholicism insists that both faith and reason must work together in harmony. Therefore, in catholic theology, faith and reason are considered complementary dimensions of human understanding that lead us toward truth. This essay explores the definitions of faith and reason and describes their relationship based on the Catholic theological tradition. Faith can be defined as both an act and a belief. According to Rausch, faith as an act means to accept, trust, and commit oneself to God and his love as revealed in Christ. In this case, faith is personal and means entering into a trusting relationship with God. In Catholicism, faith has an ecclesial component, meaning that it is mediated by a community of faith where the "I" of the ego disappears. On the other hand, faith as a belief is more intellectual and specific as it simply means accepting what God has revealed.[Rausch, Thomas P. 2016. Systematic theology: a Roman Catholic approach. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press.] [Rausch] Reason is logos as described by Rausch. In describing its meaning in the context of the opening of the Gospel of John, Rausch makes reference to God's primordial act of breaking the silence of eternal light and speaking a creative word to bring light in the darkness. From this understanding, reason can be said to be the God-given capacity to discern the truth and understand the world.[Rausch] W...