Words can take on different connotations and even meanings in different spaces. Right now, you and I have the ability to communicate with each other because we have agreed that certain words have certain meanings. When I say, “cloud,” you know that I am talking about a white or grey, fluffy-looking mass of water vapor up in the sky. But what happens when we don’t agree on the meaning of a word? We can’t communicate. We might fight. We might become confused. We might feel unheard or misunderstood. We are limited in our ability to hold a discussion, to debate well, and to solve problems together.
This happens a lot at the intersection of science and faith and in many cases, we may not even be aware of our clashing definitions. If I told you to look at a “cloud” shaped like a turtle, but I didn’t mean “a white or grey fluffy-looking mass of water vapor in the sky,” you might search for a turtle-shaped white or grey fluffy-looking mass of water vapor in the sky for quite a long time before giving up… then never know that I was actually trying to bring something else to your attention. How would you ever know? You’ve always thought “cloud” meant “white or grey fluffy-looking mass of water vapor in the sky” and have no reason to think I may have meant anything else by the word.
In this series, I would like to survey key terms that pop up in science-faith discussions and wreak havoc. Defining our terms allows us to communicate, which in turn, allows us to discuss, debate, and solve problems together again.
term 2: BELIEF
Oxford Langugaes defines “belief” this way:
“an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists“
Or
“trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something”
When Christians talk about belief in God, this definition accurately describes what they mean. Belief in God is accepting that God’s existence is true, and trusting in God. Simple as that. So… why does the word “belief” cause problems in communication?
Postmodernism
Current American culture is steeped in postmodernism. Since we are defining our terms here,
Postmodernism: “a late 20th-century movement characterized by broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism; a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology in asserting and maintaining political and economic power.” (Encyclopedia Britannica)
In postmodernism, there is no such thing as genuine truth. If there is, it is impossible to know truth with certainty. Everyone seems to agree on the definition of “belief” but we don’t all agree on what “true” means (and “true” is a critical word in the definition of “belief”).
If “true” actually does mean true-aligned with truth that can be known–then a belief is simply an acknowledgment of a reality outside oneself. I can have right beliefs and I can have wrong beliefs. Perhaps we might differ in what we believe to be true, but one of us (or both of us) is incorrect.
If what is “true” can be different for different people, then I cannot have a wrong belief, and neither can you… even if it doesn’t match reality at all. The common usage of the word “belief” is evidence of this. Usually, if we are talking about something concrete and widely agreed upon, we are not going to use the word “belief” but… “fact.” It would be kind of weird for someone to say they believe the sky is blue. “Belief” is saved for more abstract things. In a postmodern society, abstract things are up to you to decide for yourself. Since the truth of a person’s beliefs depends on the person rather than external reality, “belief” is equated to “opinion” or “preference.”
Using “belief” as “opinion” opens the door to a lot of miscommunication.
This usage seems to upset Christians especially, and anyone else who, likewise, does not subscribe to a postmodern worldview. It is hurtful to have your deepest convictions described as “opinions.”
On the other side, Christians using “belief” in its literal, traditional sense has also brought offense.* For example, I have seen social media users get quite riled up over the statement, “I believe in evolution.” Most of the time, the person means, “accept that evolution is true/exists.” Those offended by this statement often take it to mean that evolution is an opinion or preference rather than a scientific fact. All because of a disagreement on terms, two people who actually agree with each other are now in a battle within the comment section.
So… please define your terms!
It may just be that someone seeming to say something inflammatory is actually just using this word differently than you understand it. It may just be that the hurt is coming from the perceived message rather than the intended one.
*It is not our responsibility to make sure that no one is ever offended by what is true, but by no means should followers and representatives of Christ be going around intending to offend people in unnecessary ways. Let them be offended by the content of the message, not its delivery.
Science Magnifies 