As a side note, I sometimes think that in order to get to the place where what one believes transforms into what is beyond belief, we have to stop believing, if only for a few moments. We have to be willing to let go of what we believe and fall, trusting, not believing, that whatever we let go of will be replaced by something more profound and deeper.

I’m still falling, I think.

Over the course of my theological travels, I have encountered this idea over and over. Faith is a journey. Faith is something we live. And, these sort descriptions continue on and on along the same trajectory. However, I have come to find them flawed.

I know, I know, faith as a journey sounds so good (especially to ears that think we are all postmodern and stuff.) It just feels better than faith as a list of things to be believed. But, if faith is to be lived, then it also consists of that which is to be believed. Here is where the American Pragmatists (e.g. James, Pierce, Whitehead, etc.) can be of some help.

I think that faith is best understood ontologically. Faith is a matter of being. And, standing on James’ shoulders, beings do. In other words, faith is an ontological category or quality or operates ontologically. Being ontological, it is both a something (that does) and a process. So, from this perspective, affirming the creed, for example, is both an ontological and teleological exercise.

It is not enough to say that faith is a journey, as it is not enough to say that faith is vocal (and mental?) assent to a series of propositions. What is unique about Christianity, as best as I can tell, is that the propositions of the creeds possess ontological qualities and teleological qualities. Faith is the both/and of Kierkegaard; the creeds are the both/and; our lives are the both/and.

Again, as James’ taught us, without belief there is no action and without action there is no belief (to put it simply). When we affirm the creeds, we are affirming our existence, our being as distinct, and our actions as purposeful. Likewise, when we affirm our teleology or our process, we are affirming our beliefs, we are given assent to that which has become concrete.

This is why I prefer the Latin version of the Nicene or the Apostles’ Creed because “credo” captures this better than “I believe” in the English. Yes, I’m not saying anything new here (cf. Tillich). But, this is why I think it is flawed to think of faith as a journey. It is so much more than that and ever since the Cross, it has been.

Kinda makes me sad.