| dc.description.abstract | Faith and reason has been a perennial epistemic problem to scholars, philosophers,
theologians and lay people. In the history of philosophy, the debate on faith and reason as
the source of knowledge of truth and God has different dynamics. One of such dynamics
is that expressed by Tertulian claiming that Jerusalem and Athens (faith and reason) have
nothing to do with each other. Those people who subscribe to Tertulian's perspective of
faith and reason like Kierkegaard hold that it is only faith that can take people to truth
and God. Christian apologetics try to incorporate faith and reason but end up rendering
reason subordinate to faith. On the other hand, Rationalists repudiate faith and exalts
reason as the only path to truth and knowledge of God. Hegel particularly concluded that
truth is rational in a dialectical manner. The rift between faith and reason has continued to
be a perennial problem particularly in the religious and philosophical circles. The main
problem is how faith and reason has been used over different periods. The crux of the
matter over time is not only the importance of either faith or reason but, how each has
been emphasized in relation to the other.
The fideists argue that faith is subjective and because of their skepticism on reason, they
underplay the value of reason. Historically, it is apparent that subject ivization of faith did
not start with Kierkegaard but could be traced even far back beyond the time of
Tertullian, a Church Father, who believed that philosophy was inspired by demons.
Subject ivization as used by Kierkegaard means that knowledge is merely subjective,
inward and that there is no external or objective test of truth other than personal
experience. He calls people to the inwardness in knowing God and truth. Kierkegaard
holds that, to arrive at truth and Knowledge of God one has to take a leap of faith based
on personal experience. Based on the historical debate on faith and reason, this study
critically presents Kierkegaard's subject ivization of faith and investigates whether
Kierkegaard could be justified in underplaying reason in favor of subjective faith as the
only acceptable means of knowing God and the truth. It is apparent that even though
Kierkegaard underplayed reason, the study has proven that both faith and reason are
equally important and they complement each other. | en |
