There is faith at the University of Oregon.
While attending the University, I have heard issues ranging from diversity and culture to beer guzzling and streaking. But somehow faith doesn’t seem to be on the list of stereotypical college issues. Philosophy, yes. Religion, sometimes. But faith? Not that I can remember.
Perhaps it is because too many people assume that faith is only connected with religion. If you know or follow a religion, then you must have faith, right?
W.A. “Billy” Sunday explained that “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” Makes sense, just like going to the University makes you a student, but being classified as a student doesn’t make you smart.
However, it is important to acknowledge that religious faith does exist. In history, most martyrs died for their religious beliefs. Joan of Arc may have been accused of a lot of things, but lack of faith was not one of them.
So, you can have faith without religion just like you can have religion without faith. Therefore, faith can be more than just a belief in a higher power or an omnipotent being.
At a college committed to the study of science and philosophical pondering, faith almost seems out of place. A full definition of faith means complete acceptance of a truth which cannot be demonstrated by the process of logical thought. It’s faith if you can’t prove it but you believe it is true.
In that case, I know practically every student at the University has experienced faith — the illogical belief that despite rarely attending class, sleeping through the lectures you did attend and never studying, you will, by some miraculous interposition, pass the final exam. That’s faith!
Then there is the notion that faith is not academic; therefore, it has no place in a university. A university is characterized by studies that are liberal or classical in nature. What is more liberal than faith? Faith allows you to have, express or follow views and to act or express those views any way you choose. That is a liberal definition.
I once heard a student say that in today’s world, faith no longer applies.
Well, someone needs to tell the rest of the world.
According to Adherents.com, a Web site that monitors participation in various religious groups all over the world, two billion people identify themselves as Christians and 1.3 billion people claim the religion of Islam. Nine hundred million people are adherents to Hinduism.
Another nine hundred million profess to be agnostic, non-religious or atheist. It is the belief that a higher being does not exist. This is faith because, let’s face it, we can’t demonstrate it. There is no way to prove whether there is or is not a higher purpose or power, so it’s all faith.
And that is religious faith. It doesn’t include everyone’s blind faith that death will not occur today. Everyday, whether you realize it or not, you are living by faith that you will make it to tomorrow.
Consequently, there is faith on the University campus. It’s diverse and it varies, but it’s here. And let’s not look at it as a bad thing. In the words of Oliver Lodge, “Never throw away hastily any old faith, tradition or convention. They may require modification, but they are the result of the experience of many generations.”