The Challenges of Faith in
the Quest for Cosmic Citizenship

An act of faith is an act of a finite being who is attempting to orient himself with respect to the infinite.  It is a finite act with all the limitations of a finite act.  Faith is certain in so far as it is an experience of the holy.  But faith is uncertain in so far as the infinite to which it is related is understood by a finite being.  This element of uncertainty in faith cannot be removed, it must be accepted.  And the element in faith which accepts this uncertainty is courage.

In the courageous acceptance of uncertainty, faith shows most visibly its dynamic character.  Where there is daring and courage, there is always the possibility of failure.  And in every act of faith this possibility is present. The contents of our ultimate concern, whether it be our nation, our material success, or God himself, are concerns whose real nature may not be accessible to immediate awareness.  But the risk must be taken. 

There is risk if what was considered as a matter of ultimate concern turns out to be a matter of temporary or transitory concern – as for example, the attainment of social status.  The risk to faith in one’s ultimate concern is that what was considered to be a matter of ultimate concern may prove to be a matter of transitory concern.  This is indeed the greatest risk we can take in life.  For if it proves to be a failure, if that to which we have devoted ourselves turns out to have been a temporal creation of our imagination, the meaning of our life breaks down; we find that we have surrendered ourselves to something which is not worthy of such surrender.
 

The most destructive form of doubt is not a doubt about facts or conclusions.  Genuine skeptical doubt is an attitude of actually rejecting the possibility that we can be certain about anything.  It is a doubt about whether it is possible to understand anything as being true.  Therefore it cannot be refuted logically.  Such an attitude necessarily leads either to despair or cynicism.  And often, if this alternative becomes intolerable, it leads to indifference and the attempt to develop an attitude of complete unconcern.  Skeptical doubt may serve an awakening and liberating function, but it also can prevent the development of a centered personality. 

1766:4  159:3.8 "Faith is to religion what sails are to a ship; it is an addition of power, not an added burden of life. There is but one struggle for those who enter the kingdom, and that is to fight the good fight of faith. The believer has only one battle, and that is against doubt--unbelief."

But the doubt which is inherent in faith is not skeptical doubt. It is the normal, healthy doubt which accompanies every risk. It does not question whether or not a certain proposition is true or false; but it is aware of the element of insecurity in every concept which we attempt to elevate to the level of that which represents the infinite. 

At the same time, the doubt which is a part of faith accepts this insecurity in an act of courage.  Faith includes courage.  Therefore, it can include the doubt about itself.  Any act in which courage accepts risk is an indicator of the existence of faith.

1223:3  111:7.1 “Uncertainty with security is the essence of the Paradise adventure--uncertainty in time and in mind, uncertainty as to the events of the unfolding Paradise ascent; security in spirit and in eternity, security in the unqualified trust of the creature son in the divine compassion and infinite love of the Universal Father; uncertainty as an inexperienced citizen of the universe; security as an ascending son in the universe mansions of an all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving Father.