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Full Idea
There is a distinction between belief in a set of propositions and a faith which enables us to put our trust in them.
Gist of Idea
Faith is not just belief in propositions, but also putting trust in them
Source
Karen Armstrong (A History of God [1993], Intro)
Book Ref
Armstrong,Karen: 'A History of God' [Mandarin 1993], p.1
A Reaction
This is interestingly distinct from the usual idea that faith is putting belief in propositions which are not sufficiently rationally justified. How many philosophers actually have faith in the propositions they say they believe?
| 8158 | Do not seek to know Brahman by arguments, for arguments are idle and vain [Anon (Upan)] |
| 7997 | Only by love can men see me, know me, and come to me, says Krishna [Anon (Bhag)] |
| 17593 | Always be ready to give reasons for your beliefs [Peter] |
| 6610 | I believe because it is absurd [Tertullian] |
| 6609 | With respect to religion, reason is a blind whore [Luther] |
| 22088 | Faith is like a dancer's leap, going up to God, but also back to earth [Kierkegaard, by Carlisle] |
| 7584 | Without risk there is no faith [Kierkegaard] |
| 7583 | Faith is the highest passion in the sphere of human subjectivity [Kierkegaard] |
| 2919 | 'Faith' means not wanting to know what is true [Nietzsche] |
| 20269 | 'I believe because it is absurd' - but how about 'I believe because I am absurd' [Nietzsche] |
| 7596 | Faith is not just belief in propositions, but also putting trust in them [Armstrong,K] |
| 4727 | The chief problem for fideists is other fideists who hold contrary ideas [O'Grady] |