More on Faith and Reason

The Catholic dogma on God as Triune provides insight into the differences and the complementarity of faith and reason.

The First Vatican Council taught that while mankind can, by reason alone, come to know God exists, we cannot reason to the conclusion that God is a Trinity of three persons. The doctrine of the Trinity is God’s profoundest secret. If God had not revealed this truth to us, we would still be ignorant of it.Even when He has told us, we may yet feel that it is altogether beyond us.  Nonetheless, it is reasonable to have faith – that is, believe in – this revelation.

As previously discussed here there are good reasons to believe there is a creator, that this creator reveals himself to mankind, that this creator became incarnate in Jesus the Christ, and that Jesus founded the Catholic Church.  Thus, there are good reasons to place trust in, i.e. have faith in, the teachings of the Catholic Church.  Therefore, it can be said that there are good reasons to have faith that God is a Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit - because He revealed it through His Church.

While the doctrine of the Trinity surpasses human reason, it does not contradict human reason. More on this next time.

In Christ, Ken.