This is an interesting and enigmatic (unless I'm missing something obvious, which is possible) statement. Is St John saying that when we believe we are doing God's work as in credo ut intelligam, or when we believe God is working within us - or both? or neither?
Bernadette Roberts wrote that faith is our most mystical experience of God, "Mystical" means: having the nature of the direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality. Therefore faith is a direct experience of God. Perhaps St. John is saying that believing (actually having faith) in God IS God, Itself. What about that?
Very cool. I tend to think of belief as more willed than faith; thus St Anselm (I think) spoke about "believing in order to understand." But belief could certainly mean as well direct, intuitive knowledge of God. Christ perhaps?
Faith leads to understanding, understanding does not always lead to faith. Note - 'belief', is different from faith. Faith is more mystical, intuitive.
This is an interesting and enigmatic (unless I'm missing something obvious, which is possible) statement. Is St John saying that when we believe we are doing God's work as in credo ut intelligam, or when we believe God is working within us - or both? or neither?
ReplyDeleteBernadette Roberts wrote that faith is our most mystical experience of God, "Mystical" means: having the nature of the direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality. Therefore faith is a direct experience of God. Perhaps St. John is saying that believing (actually having faith) in God IS God, Itself. What about that?
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DeleteVery cool. I tend to think of belief as more willed than faith; thus St Anselm (I think) spoke about "believing in order to understand." But belief could certainly mean as well direct, intuitive knowledge of God. Christ perhaps?
DeleteFaith leads to understanding, understanding does not always lead to faith. Note - 'belief', is different from faith. Faith is more mystical, intuitive.
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