Faith and trust: a theological and philosophical study

Thesis

Is Christian faith basically trust? Yes and no—a lot hangs on how one defines trust. This study aims to articulate the nature and character of Christian faith and to elucidate its relation to trust. I argue that Christian faith is a practical, relational disposition of trust and loyalty toward God in Jesus Christ. My analysis begins with three biblical ‘faith-data’ that constrain legitimate accounts of Christian faith: the Greek pistis, the Hebrew ʾemunāh, and Abraham as a biblical exemplar of faith. Recent work by classicist Teresa Morgan suggests that pistis is centrally associated with trust, but her account (among others in the literature) lacks specificity. To address this, I draw on contemporary philosophy of trust to develop the notion of pistis as a form of nondoxastic, relational trust. I do so by proposing a functional account of trust that captures diverse intuitions about trust and underpins a practical interpretation of faith. Together with the faith-data, these insights from trust yield a characterization of faith as a practical, relational disposition. I evaluate how three philosophical accounts of Christian faith—Trust with Belief, Faith-as-faithfulness, and Trust-Loyalty—align with this characterization. The results are mixed, but each offers insights. I suggest revisions to better align them with my characterization, and through that dialogue refine the details of my view, particularly its salient relational features. This positions me to meet the primary aim of this study: I articulate the nature and character of Christian faith as a practical, relational disposition of trust and loyalty toward God in Jesus Christ. Thus, the secondary aim is also met: I elucidate the relation between faith and trust by showing that Christian faith is a species of engaged, relational trust. I close by demonstrating how this view of faith opens new avenues for both theological and philosophical reflection.

Authors: Fischer, L

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-r1ezj51pb
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: pistis; trust; faithfulness; faith
• Subjects: Philosophy; Theology; Philosophical theology