Scarred But Unscathed: Growing in Faith. Well, it’s pretty clear that the book delves into the issue of “faith.” OK, but then the bigger question for everyone…..what is faith to you?? There is no one definition of what faith is even though there is a tremendous body of research into the subject. Those who hold specific religious beliefs, or are part of a particular denomination, cultural, racial, ethnic or gender group often have their own parameters as to what faith entails. Many organizations have credos that state their beliefs. Businesses and corporations establish goals for the short and long-term. Do credos and goals count as a type of “faith”? Do people have “faith” in their companies? Organizations? Businesses?
Is faith different for men, women or non-conforming individuals? We could even talk about “faith” demonstrated by children. Children may not have the capacity to articulate what they have “faith” in or believe in, their actions (and words to a lesser extent) can show us what faith is to them. Faith is a fascinating concept and covers a lot of territory. For example, one could even think about the degree to which faith is intellectual or spiritual or some combination of the two.
My father was a Baptist pastor for over 50 years so I grew up attending and participating in church services and programs. You could say I grew up “in church.” I heard and learned much about faith from a religious standpoint. It wasn’t until I began doing my own research into faith that I became engrossed in wanting to find out what faith was to others. So, let’s start there. What is faith to you and how did you arrive at your definition? Post a note. Send me an email. Let’s talk!