Bad-Faith Bears
April 1, 2011 9:39 AM Subscribe
Please suggest sources - books, articles, confessions - dealing with the question of bad faith among priests or other adherents of some or other religious belief.
I'm interested in accounts of how people combine doubts or skepticism with the outward profession of faith. I'm not interested exclusively in the Christian situation, but I'll give an example relating to it: how do priests personally (not, for example, on the level of papal policy) reconcile modern scientific knowledge with the explicit teaching of Holy Writ about a range of events from the creation of the world through the Immaculate Conception to the existence of God?
To be clear: I'm not interested so much in me-fites personal grapplings with these matters and still less in their successful resolutions. I'm interested in academic or at least journalistic studies, books or articles. And I'm interested above all in how people continue to live and work in a state of bad faith, that is to say without actually believing what they profess to believe.
I'm interested in accounts of how people combine doubts or skepticism with the outward profession of faith. I'm not interested exclusively in the Christian situation, but I'll give an example relating to it: how do priests personally (not, for example, on the level of papal policy) reconcile modern scientific knowledge with the explicit teaching of Holy Writ about a range of events from the creation of the world through the Immaculate Conception to the existence of God?
To be clear: I'm not interested so much in me-fites personal grapplings with these matters and still less in their successful resolutions. I'm interested in academic or at least journalistic studies, books or articles. And I'm interested above all in how people continue to live and work in a state of bad faith, that is to say without actually believing what they profess to believe.
"how do priests personally (not, for example, on the level of papal policy) reconcile modern scientific knowledge with the explicit teaching of Holy Writ about a range of events from the creation of the world ..."
Well, for starters, Catholics aren't Biblical literalists. In fact, biblical literalism is typically considered heretical in "official" Catholic doctrine. Catholics run many fine universities in the United States where cutting-edge scientific research is done ad maiorem Dei gloriam* -- for the greater glory of God. Not, like, in SPITE of God. Science makes God happy. God likes truth.
Catechism: "283. The question about the origins of the world and of man has been the object of many scientific studies which have splendidly enriched our knowledge of the age and dimensions of the cosmos, the development of life-forms and the appearance of man. These discoveries invite us to even greater admiration for the greatness of the Creator, prompting us to give him thanks for all his works and for the understanding and wisdom he gives to scholars and researchers."
So, I think first you need to clarify your question and/or your understanding of modern (mainstream) theological understanding of science. Creationism is very much a minority position, if a loud one in the U.S.
Now, if your question is about RELIGIOUS doubt, about the existence of God or God's good faith or whatever, that's a different question, and there are copious resources on it; Mother Teresa's writings in "Come Be My Light" are pretty freaking raw. After a transcendent experience of God that drove her to become, you know, Mother Teresa, she basically existed in a spiritual desert of doubt and despair for sixty years.
*That's the Jesuit motto.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:06 AM on April 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Well, for starters, Catholics aren't Biblical literalists. In fact, biblical literalism is typically considered heretical in "official" Catholic doctrine. Catholics run many fine universities in the United States where cutting-edge scientific research is done ad maiorem Dei gloriam* -- for the greater glory of God. Not, like, in SPITE of God. Science makes God happy. God likes truth.
Catechism: "283. The question about the origins of the world and of man has been the object of many scientific studies which have splendidly enriched our knowledge of the age and dimensions of the cosmos, the development of life-forms and the appearance of man. These discoveries invite us to even greater admiration for the greatness of the Creator, prompting us to give him thanks for all his works and for the understanding and wisdom he gives to scholars and researchers."
So, I think first you need to clarify your question and/or your understanding of modern (mainstream) theological understanding of science. Creationism is very much a minority position, if a loud one in the U.S.
Now, if your question is about RELIGIOUS doubt, about the existence of God or God's good faith or whatever, that's a different question, and there are copious resources on it; Mother Teresa's writings in "Come Be My Light" are pretty freaking raw. After a transcendent experience of God that drove her to become, you know, Mother Teresa, she basically existed in a spiritual desert of doubt and despair for sixty years.
*That's the Jesuit motto.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 10:06 AM on April 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: A good friend of mine wrote what I think is a pretty insightful essay on this question in light of a book, "Preachers who are not Believers" that came out last year. Both the essay and the book might be useful to answer your question. You might also look at a book, Diary of a Country Priest, which I have not read but which, I take it, covers similar ground. (NB: These are Christianity-centric recommendations, as that is the background from which I can speak at all intelligently).
Having said that, I am not sure that your question doesn't rest on a false premise. It seems to me that most people, including people of faith and including in particular pastors and priests, do not perceive themselves to be acting in bad faith, even when, to an outsider or a particular framework of belief, they may seem to be. That is to say, if you define a religion strictly, then it may look like those whose beliefs place them outside of the definition, but who want to stay within the socio-political world of the religion, are indeed acting in bad faith. But the definitional aspects of a religion are only a part of what a religion is, and checking people's beliefs against the definitions may not be the best way to map the contours of the religion.
Not to say it's a bad question, or fodder for thought, mind you, just that I think it may assume something other than what's there.
posted by gauche at 11:34 AM on April 1, 2011
Having said that, I am not sure that your question doesn't rest on a false premise. It seems to me that most people, including people of faith and including in particular pastors and priests, do not perceive themselves to be acting in bad faith, even when, to an outsider or a particular framework of belief, they may seem to be. That is to say, if you define a religion strictly, then it may look like those whose beliefs place them outside of the definition, but who want to stay within the socio-political world of the religion, are indeed acting in bad faith. But the definitional aspects of a religion are only a part of what a religion is, and checking people's beliefs against the definitions may not be the best way to map the contours of the religion.
Not to say it's a bad question, or fodder for thought, mind you, just that I think it may assume something other than what's there.
posted by gauche at 11:34 AM on April 1, 2011
On another thought, you might check out Nick Cave's spoken word piece, The Flesh Made Word, which deals with Mr. Cave's own struggles to believe and not believe. (He's not a priest, of course.)
posted by gauche at 11:51 AM on April 1, 2011
posted by gauche at 11:51 AM on April 1, 2011
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posted by silby at 9:59 AM on April 1, 2011