What’s Up… World?
Trying To Make Sense of It All
What Does Faith-Based Mean?
Definition of Faith: “Belief without evidence.”
If that definition is used, then your question is a reasonable one. A Christian could argue that Christianity is not “faith-based” because it points to historical claims, eyewitness testimony, archaeological findings, manuscript evidence, and arguments such as those presented in The Case for Christ.
However, that modern definition is not how many religious traditions, including Christianity, have historically used the word.
A more traditional definition is: Faith is trust or confidence based on what one believes to be true.
Under that definition, faith is not the absence of evidence. It is trust that goes beyond what can be personally verified.
For example, a Christian might say:
- There is evidence that Jesus existed.
- There is evidence that the disciples believed they saw the risen Jesus.
- There is evidence that Christianity began and spread rapidly.
- But no one alive today can directly observe the resurrection itself.
At some point, a person decides whether that evidence is sufficient to place trust in the claim. That trust is often called faith.
The phrase “faith-based” is also used differently in modern society. It usually means: An organization, program, school, charity, or worldview that is founded on religious beliefs.
For example:
- A faith-based school
- A faith-based counseling center
- A faith-based charity
The phrase does not necessarily mean “based on blind belief.” It generally means “based on religious convictions.”
So from a Christian perspective, there are at least three positions someone might hold:
- Christianity is faith-based because faith means trust in God.
- Christianity is evidence-based and faith-based because faith follows evidence.
- The term faith-based is unfortunate because many people now interpret faith as belief without evidence.
Many Christian apologists, including Lee Strobel, would likely argue for the second position: that Christianity is supported by evidence, but faith still involves trusting the conclusion reached from that evidence.
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