Religion and Faith

[Crabtownboy]

What is the difference between religion and faith?

Are they the same?

Are they different?

 

[Alcott]

Before being tossed the bone of the argument you are drooling for this time, first give your answer. If you don't.......I ain't playing!

 

[Crabtownboy]

Before being tossed the bone of the argument you are drooling for this time, first give your answer. If you don't.......I ain't playing!

My feeling at the moment is they are different. I believe a person can have great faith in Christ without being part of a formal religious group. Indeed, a person may have big problems with organized religion of any type and yet have great faith.

Do you agree?

 

[Alcott]

Yes, I do agree. However, do I gather from your terms, "formal religious group" and "organized religion," that you define religion as a -formal+ organization?

 

[Crabtownboy]

Yes, I do agree. However, do I gather from your terms, "formal religious group" and "organized religion," that you define religion as a -formal+ organization?

In this thread yes. But not as an absolute. English is probably a bid deficient here as the word religion can have a number of meanings and this can cause confusion.

So for the sake of this discussion let us say that the word religion stands for organized religious denominations and groups.

 

[JonC]

What is the difference between religion and faith?

Are they the same?

Are they different?

I’d have to say that it depends on how you define religion. You seem to like quotes, here’s one I've always liked:

“Is not religion all deeds and all reflection,
And that which is neither deed nor reflection, but a wonder and a surprise ever springing in the soul, even while the hands hew the stone or tend the loom?
Who can separate his faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations?
Who can spread his hours before him, saying, 'This for God and this for myself;
This for my soul, and this other for my body?'” - Gibran

I'd say that religion and faith are different. Faith is the substance to which religion gives voice. Religion is the expression of our faith.

 

[JonC]

Upon reflection, I think that religion being faith expressed would also apply to the definition you have ascribed to "religion."

I often hear that Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. But this is not correct. It is a relationship (individually, a relationship with God; corporately a relationship with one another in the Body of Christ). But people are not saved for their sake alone. Reading Acts it becomes clear that Christianity is a relationship but also a religion as we express our faith and function within the Body of Christ corporately.