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I've run across the concept of "a simple faith" in many contexts, usually individuals in a story (novels or long journalistic pieces) that are explained as having "a simple faith in God" or merely "a simple faith" without defining what that means.
Perhaps it means something like not knowing a lot about theology or anything else about religious belief as such.
I have spoken to people who say "God has done right by me, taken care of me, I have gotten most of the things I have truly asked for and my family has been okay and I've been okay"
I have spoken to people who have been disillusioned with belief entirely due to "not getting what they prayed for"
Lots of people self report as "spiritual but not religious" or "Believing in G-d but dubious about religion" I would be somewhere in that territory myself.
Long ago I ran across the concept of "Moralistic therapeutic deism" which has to do with belief in a god that helps people but doesn't get very involved.
The terminology was developed by sociologist Christian Smith. The concept is spoken of with contempt by various Christian writers, seeing it as a grossly inadequate understanding of religious belief, and seeming shocked that many (at least nominally) Christian youth seemed to belief this way.
But I wonder, how many average people over the centuries have had a "simple faith" maybe this "simple faith" or believed something like it?
americananglican.org
Perhaps it means something like not knowing a lot about theology or anything else about religious belief as such.
I have spoken to people who say "God has done right by me, taken care of me, I have gotten most of the things I have truly asked for and my family has been okay and I've been okay"
I have spoken to people who have been disillusioned with belief entirely due to "not getting what they prayed for"
Lots of people self report as "spiritual but not religious" or "Believing in G-d but dubious about religion" I would be somewhere in that territory myself.
Long ago I ran across the concept of "Moralistic therapeutic deism" which has to do with belief in a god that helps people but doesn't get very involved.
The terminology was developed by sociologist Christian Smith. The concept is spoken of with contempt by various Christian writers, seeing it as a grossly inadequate understanding of religious belief, and seeming shocked that many (at least nominally) Christian youth seemed to belief this way.
But I wonder, how many average people over the centuries have had a "simple faith" maybe this "simple faith" or believed something like it?
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism - American Anglican Council
By Robert Lundy, Communications Officer, AAC The other day I posted on the American Anglican Council’s (AAC) Facebook page the definition of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism and was surprised by the number of people who reused that information and shared it on their own Facebook profile. Now the...
americananglican.org