Religion plus. Or: What can poison faith
There is often a debate about whether faith or religion (depending on which term you prefer) is good or bad in and of itself. Inspired by the sociologist Brené Brown in Daring Greatly / Vulnerability makes me strong and the Rabbi Sharon Brous I have set up three equations for myself (the plus stands for and and the minus for without)
- Faith + passion - empathy = extremism
- Faith - passion - empathy = numbness
- Faith + passion + empathy = authenticity
What I mean by that. Some people take their faith passionately seriously, so passionately that they forget compassion for themselves and, above all, for other people, and are unable to empathise with people who do not believe and live differently.
The solution is not to take passion out of the equation. Because then all that comes out is cold, ossified religion that doesn't nourish anyone inwardly. That also extinguishes life.
The solution seems to me to be living faith with passion, but also with empathy and vulnerability. With the knowledge that we are both dust and ashes and created in the image of God. Knowing that we understand some things, but not everything. To empathise with ourselves and with others. Making room for great trust. To have understanding for great doubt. Knowing that God will always remain a mystery and marvelling and rejoicing at what he has revealed to us about himself.
Tip
God's fatherly love About „Strong faith“ I have a Quadro written. And I think that healthy, living faith must always be rooted in the heartfelt knowledge of God's love as a Father - to deepen this, I recommend the Quadro God's fatherly love by Esther and Manfred Lanz.
