What is a rational belief in God?

(1) Belief in God is rational only if there is sufficient evidence for the existence of God. (2) There is not sufficient evidence for the existence of God. (3) Therefore, belief in God is irrational.

Is it rational to have faith?

Good, that doing so can be rational in a number of circumstances. If expected utility theory is the correct account of practical rationality, then having faith can be both epistemically and practically rational if the costs associated with gathering further evidence or postponing the decision are high.

What is the relationship between reason and faith?

Faith is opposed to reason and is firmly in the realm of the irrational. Religious faith is over and above reason and is not to be subject to criteria generally used by reasoning beings. To use reason on matters of faith is not only inappropriate but irreverent and faithless.

What is religious rationalism?

Definition. Theistic rationalists believe natural religion, Christianity, and rationalism typically coexist compatibly, with rational thought balancing the conflicts between the first two aspects. They often assert that the primary role of a person’s religion should be to bolster morality, a fixture of daily life.

What comes first faith or reason?

Faith comes after reason and then faith allows reason to grow. Faith enables a believer to understand further truths that could not be discovered through reason alone.

What is another word for rationality?

In this page you can discover 24 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for rationality, like: logic, rationalness, reason, empiricism, sense, rationale, ratiocination, epistemology, reasonableness, morality and normative.

What are the types of rationality?

Four types of rationality are identified and com- pared with one another: practical, theoretical, substantive, and for- mal. Only “ethical substantive rationality” introduces methodical ways of life.

What causes faith?

The basic impetus for the problem of faith and reason comes from the fact that the revelation or set of revelations on which most religions are based is usually described and interpreted in sacred pronouncements, either in an oral tradition or canonical writings, backed by some kind of divine authority.

Can the existence of God be known through reason alone?

Therefore, we can see God through the empirical world around us. This shows that knowledge of God cannot be shown through reason alone, because it can also be found within the physical realm.

Is faith the opposite of reason?

Far from being the opposite of (good) reason, biblical faith is rooted in good reason. But your kids shouldn’t just take your word for it. They need you to show them the evidence for Christianity (presented throughout this book) in order for that fact to become meaningful in their lives.

Is there such a thing as rational faith?

So is there such a thing as a rational faith? Yes, there is. A faith that is true is rational. In matters of faith, what one believes can influence life decisions, actions, emotions, and even destinies. No belief system is above inquiry, and in matters of faith the only belief worth having is a true one.

Can faith ever be rational?

When the question, “Is it rational?”, is asked of faith, the method by which a belief is maintained, then no, faith is not rational at all. Faith is the antithesis of rationality. Faith is what you use when you want to believe something, or are otherwise driven to hold a belief, when there is no reason or evidence to support the belief. And faith can result in belief in spite of counter evidence and reason.

If one took this question at face value, the answer is quite simple: yes, faith is rational. How do we know that? We merely need to understand the terms and see if “faith” fits within the bounds of “rational.” That’s a simple academic exercise handled in the sidebar below. Of greater interest is what people usually mean when asking the question.

What did Thomas Aquinas believe about reason and faith?

Thomas Aquinas has long been understood to have reconciled faith and reason. Rather than requiring evidence accessible to the natural light of reason, Aquinas holds that faith has its own sort of “evidence”—that which results from the light of faith. Furthermore, what is the relationship between faith and reason?