Being Reasonable about Faith and Reason

Last updated on: December 31, 2012 at 11:11 am by Kathryn Jean Lopez

Being Reasonable about Faith and Reason 2012-12-31T11:11:13-05:00 Kathryn Jean Lopez

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

If you’re looking for something to do with the Amazon gift card you got for Christmas, take a look at Chris Kaczor’s new book, The Seven Big Myths About the Catholic Church. In a recent interview, he focuses the mind a bit on that faith-and-reason front that we sometimes find ourselves talking about more often than not at gatherings around this time of year:

Faith does transcend reason, but faith does not contradict reason. Faith involves trusting someone and accepting what is revealed by this person as true. In a human sense, we have faith in our friends. We can know certain things about our friends such as their general height, age, and appearance from using our reason. But others things about them we can know only if our friends reveal them to us, such as their beliefs, history, and inner experiences. However, it is not irrational to believe what our friends reveal to us about themselves, even if we cannot verify that they are telling us the truth about their inner thoughts and feelings. So too, faith in God involves accepting what God reveals to us about his own inner life; for example, that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We cannot prove the Trinity through philosophy, but we can accept it through faith. This acceptance is not contrary to reason but does go beyond what reason can know through its own power.

There is much more in our interview here.

His book on abortion and ethics is also a treasure trove — we talked specifically about it earlier in the year. But do give the Seven Big Myths book to yourself or someone who might be interested. As with Austen Ivereigh’s gift to the Church, How to Defend the Church without Raising Your Voice, Kaczor focuses the mind on truth. And believers need the gentle reminders and catechetical primers perhaps even more than anyone.

How to Defend the Church Without Raising Your Voice

Reason

The Seven Big Myths About the Catholic Church

Previous Post

December 31, 2012

What Are You Most Looking Forward to in 2013?

Next Post

December 31, 2012 Do You Know About Frank O'Brien?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category B16 Christian Persecution Christianity Today Culture Good Links/Must Read HHS Mandate Holy Land Must Reads Prayer Religious Liberty Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Eve was created from Adam's rib.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE