"Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth – in a word, to know himself – so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves" (Catholic Church & John Paul II, 1998, p. 1).
Do you believe this quote adequately depicts the Christian view of the interaction of faith and reason, and the value of both? Why or why not? Does the atheistic worldview also use faith and reason? Why or why not?
Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth
Full Answer Section
Sample Answer
The quote you've provided, from Pope John Paul II's encyclical Fides et Ratio, offers a powerful and poetic depiction of the Christian understanding of the relationship between faith and reason. It states, "Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth – in a word, to know himself – so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves" (Catholic Church & John Paul II, 1998, p. 1).
Here is a breakdown of whether this quote adequately depicts the Christian view, and a discussion of the role of faith and reason in an atheistic worldview.