forgive me for going a little old school and using the dictionary. as we can see, there is a much broader definition of faith than that of the faith of christians that the stories they are told in their scripture are true.
as i pointed out earlier, the books of the old testament appear to be a largely historical documentation of a single family of people whose first generation were named adam and eve. geneologies are given throughout the books tracing the development of that family through noah and the time of the deluge, which also appears to have some geologic evidence to support that account. through the patriarchs the family becomes twelve tribes and then a nation with its ups and downs when the last geneology, that of jesus, through joseph is given in the opening of the book of mark.
the presence of that passage has always thrown a flag in my mind about the virgin birth story. some chasidic rabbis once were talking about how jesus was actually born of joseph and that the story had been made up to cover up his getting mary knocked up before they were actually married.
the jews claim that JHVH did make himself quite apparent for a long time up through the time of the prophet and that he would repeatedly keep promises to descendants of adam and eve, both good and bad, through all those years. i really don't know what they say about his apparent silence since the miracles of sinai.
the biggest problem i see between the faith of the scientist and the faith of the theologian is that the scientist has instruments to test his faith with and can make predictions based on reproducible results. the theologian only has ancient texts and the noise inside his own head to go on.
faith
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feɪθ/
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–noun 1. confidence or trust in a person or thing:
faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof:
He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
3. belief in [URL="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/god"]god or in the doctrines or teachings of religion:
the firm faith of the Pilgrims.
4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.:
to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.
5. a system of religious belief:
the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.
6. the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.:
Failure to appear would be breaking faith.
7. the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.:
He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.
8. Christian Theology . the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.
—Idiom
9. in faith, in truth; indeed:
In faith, he is a fine lad.
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Origin:
1200–50; ME
feith < AF
fed, OF
feid, feit < L
fidem, acc. of
fidēs trust, akin to
fīdere to trust. See
confide
