The Vaule of The Religious Knowledge in The Formation of Faith

Year 2010, Volume: 8 Issue: 1, 77 - 92, 30.01.2010

Ramazan Biçer

Abstract

Religion is related to person?s will. But faith of the people is established on the basis of their environment, experience, and knowledge. The most important factor which plays great role in the formation of one?s faith is the religious knowledge. Nonetheless, person?s increasing other knowledge and experience cannot be denied in this process. According to Islamic theology, person?s faith develops unceasingly. During this development, people are expected to increase their level of consciousness. However, it is observed that external factors like environments are the main determiners on the faith of the people.
Faith necessitates an anxiety and fear. Belief in unknowable requires mental effort. Without this mental effort, real faith cannot be achieved. Major world religions ask person to make mental efforts to form such a belief. Consequently, real conscious believers are the people who work mentally and spiritually to achieve this faith. According to Islamic theology, faith is established on the basis of intellectual efforts. No matter what religion person follows, if he or she bases his or her belief on the sound reason, his or her faith represents real, healthy and strong belief.
In spite of the most important factor which plays great role in the formation of one?s faith is the religious knowledge, many of the people have not basis of the their religion knowledge.
In this paper we will discuss the value of the religious knowledge for the religious formation.

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