1. FAITH Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. Mother Teresa Mother Teresa

2. Word Association FAITHBELIEF

3. I. What is FAITH? –A. Try relating it to trust Are they interchangeable? –“I have faith in you” versus “Please just trust me” –B. Response to God’s love Responding to the invitation to be in relationship Response of trust AND faith in revelation –C. Both personal and communal Catholic Church is a community of believers St. Augustine: stressed F in G as a form of illumination Thomas Aquinas: (faith & reason) Synoptic Gospels: equate faith w trust in JC

4. II. Six Characteristics of Faith 1. Supernatural gift from God o H.S. helps us recognize the invitation God exten ded so that we can o respond 2. Certain o Even when reason o doesn’t understand 3. Seeks understanding o True faith brings a deep ening passion for o understanding God 4. Does not appeal to science o God created the physical and spiritual so there is NEVER a conflict 5. Necessary for salvation o One must have faith to have a relationship 6. Beginning of eternal life o Gives us a preview of heaven

5. III. Statements of Faith Nicene Creed *Trinity *Sundays *Community *Council of Nicaea –Responding t o heresies Apostle’s Creed *Individual *Reflect beliefs of Apostles *Dates back to the Romans

6. BELIEF: Involves intellectual assent to a truth…so FAITH implies a deeper acceptance of a belief: one that requires changes in behavior & attitude IV. Difference between belief and faith

7. V. 3 Components of (mature) faith A. Conviction: belief in truths; an assent of the mind

8. B. Commitment: dedication to another; an assent of the heart, with implications upon behavior

9. C. Trust: Reliance on the power & goodness of that to which one is committed (trust enables faith to remain active even in times of doubt)

10. VI. Adolescent Faith Development A. Men & Women differ B. FD occurs at all levels C. While many adolescents would not describe themselves as religious, often they are spiritual.

11. VII. Religious vs. Spiritual The Faith Development in the Adult Life Cycle Project… This study’s result is the basis for the book Faith is a verb by Kenneth Stokes Religious: generally conceived as involving ritual practices, doctrine, the institutional Church & active involvement Spiritual: emphasizes personal dimension RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)

12. VIII. Gender Faith Development The Faith Development in the Adult Life Cycle Project… This study’s result is the basis for the book Faith is a verb by Kenneth Stokes WOMEN More like to ponder emotional & spiritual overtones of signif life exp. More relational in approach to faith More likely to see religion as impt in their lives View it as a positive exp. Identify faith w having rel w God MEN See faith more as set of beliefs More structured in beliefs Less likely to disclose feelings & attitudes about faith (and if problem will work it out themselves

13. IX. Westerhoff’s Styles of Faith Will Our Children Have Faith? John Westerhoff, 2000) Uses cross section of tree trunk to illustrate process of FD. 1. Experienced 2. Affiliative 3. Searching 4. Owned

14. X. Fowler’s Stages of Faith Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning, James W. Fowler, 1995 ) Faith more as verb than noun) Stage 1: Intuitive-Projective Faith Stage 2: Mythic-Literal faith Stage 3: Synthetic-Conventional Faith Stage 4: Individualistic-Projective Faith Stage 5: Conjunctive Faith Stage 6: Universalizing Faith Other info: Stages hierarchical, sequential, Stage 3 most common, Stages 1-3 F comes from external force, Stages 4-6 faith is internal… so shift from 3 to 4 is hardest