Category: Faith

The academic journal, ‘Wiping Away The Tears: A Faith Community Responds To Clergy Sexual Abuse In The Roman Catholic Chruch’ justifies on what can be done in response to such pain reflected on clergy sexual abuse in their community. (my thesis)

The Community of Albany Catholic Workers is convinced that churches today are ‘broken.’ They are upset that members of clergy sexually assaulted teenagers and children. They are angry with U.S Bishops and their staff for ignoring the issue of sexual abuse in the church. The U.S Bishops still giving an authority position to clergies who harmed without any consequence to their actions just so the church does not look bad to the public. Many times this leads to more abuse.

It should be noted that, ‘In 2000, the bishops of New York issued a pastoral statement on restorative justice and criminal justice system, Restoring All to the fullness of Life’ basically this document is meeting the needs of the victims that were abused, for those who did the abusing, and the general public. But in this document, it does not deal with the direct abuse in the churches. Above all, they all wait in faith for the moment when ‘God will wipe away the tears from all faces.’ Through the way of Christ, members of the church want to spread the word of God to others who have been victims of clergy abuse and want them to come to light with their tragic stories. At this time, the author asks, what can be done to help victims and clergy to restore forgiveness and healing within themselves and the church.

Bishop Hubbard, a trusted Diocese of Albany who was accused of sex abuse. He openly apologized and wanted people to write letters to him about his scandal. This example greatly supports the authors’ views on wanting more priest to come forth and confess to the harm they caused. Therefore, with all the chaos happening, there was a hotline, counseling, and prayer of worship offered for victims of sexual abuse. In order for these services to work, they must take place by a long term view to cope with this crisis. Not only do some victims choose to deal with this issue alone, but they are also misguided by the taste of revenge. And they hold back the truth about their pastor sexually assaulting them. To help people heal from sexual abuse, mentors first need to acknowledge the damage that these victims are going through and approach the priest that did the crime. The Albany community church wants to conduct ‘confessions and penance’ (390) for priests who abuse their power for their pleasure, and for victims. Furthermore, as a Christian, it is in their heart to love one another no matter how big the sin is. The author emphasizes to forgive in order to heal (390). And what members of the church want to teach others.

One of the most effective programs is ‘reconciliation programs (VORPs) and family groups conferences’ (390). These services offer the victim to share the pain that they are going through. They also with consent with one another for the victim to meet the member of the clergy that abused them. That will give the person that has harmed the victim a chance to apologize and offer forgiveness. This healing program is purely by their choice. Meanwhile, some people think that these programs are a terrible idea because talking to their abuser can make things worse. But as a result, ‘significant evidence exists demonstrating that restorative processes can be healing and transformative for all involved’ (391). This program wants to help victims and predators to deal with what they are going through and not just ignore the issue.

To conclude, the community of Albany wants to simulate spiritually the bishops, pastors, and church ministers to introduce a place where healing can be learned. They want Christian mentors to join the workshops to help anybody that wants healing through these programs. This young generation needs help learning how to find peace within themselves. And the Albany community is willing to help the ‘broken’ (389) church of today through the ‘spirit of Christian love’ (391). Overall, I do agree with what the author is saying about dealing with pain through these Christian healing programs. I feel like they can bring peace to someone’s life.

“The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth” (The Australian Constitution, Chapter 5, Section 116).

Freedom of religion is a concept prevalent in most countries around the world. Australia, as a multicultural and diverse country, consists of many citizens who practice the world’s dominant religions: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. The growth of religious diversity has always been evident in Australia; steadily changing with the increase of immigration, media exposure, and many more circumstances that have led to a more religion-accepting society. Religious freedom is a policy that exists to enable those who practice their religion to practice freely without fear of persecution, discrimination, or prohibition. However, freedom of religion does not exist as an excuse to enable said persecution or discrimination toward others. It does not exist for people of faith to proliferate prejudicial views and use their religion as an excuse to assert said views.

It is imperative that we, as a society, need to realize that Australia’s current policy enabling freedom of religion and faith must not be used as a scapegoat for bigotry, discrimination, and abuse. Firstly, exploiting the current policy can lead to severe consequences for the perpetrator when they have been found to use their religion to victimize themselves and escape retribution. An example of a backfired misuse of religious freedom can be displayed by Israel Folau, an Australian rugby player, who was sacked by Rugby Australia over homophobic comments made on social media. As said by MP Barnaby Joyce, “People were a little bit shocked that someone could lose their job because of what they believe. It made everyone feel a bit awkward and uneasy”. He references one’s beliefs as a reason why one might ‘lose their job’; was he referring to the beliefs that fall under Folau’s Christian faith? Or was he actually referring to the misinterpreted ideas of an archaic religion that was used to seemingly justify Folau’s appallingly homophobic comments? So, can your faith really be used to justify your discriminatory views when you’re not even preaching correctly? And should those views even be generalized with your religion if they’ve been developed from your ignorance and misinterpretation, rather than the explicit, core teachings? Amid the controversy, Folau has hit back at Rugby Australia, claiming that he was sacked because of his religion and therefore experienced an ‘unlawful termination’ as protected under Section 772 of the Fair Work Act. The Fair Work Act is used to protect those who are at risk of ‘unlawful termination’ because of their sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, or religion. However, there is a difference between firing someone for the sole reason that they’re Christian and firing someone because they express extremist ideologies that they have misinterpreted from Christianity. Folau’s situation falls under the latter. It is absurd for Folau to claim that he was punished for expressing his faith; he was punished for expressing bigoted and malicious views, and wrongfully used his faith as a way to evade ramifications and turn the situation around to villainize those who oppose him.

My second point is that the misemployment of religious freedom harms the many minority groups apparent in Australia. Politicians use their religion to employ damaging policies for the LGBT community, Catholic priests use their status within their religion to escape persecution for abhorrent crimes toward children, and pro-life campaigners use their religion to terrorize vulnerable women outside of abortion clinics. As referred to in my first point, by discriminating against innocent people in the name of ‘religious beliefs’, the policy for freedom of religion then becomes a policy for freedom of prejudice. Contrarily, those who practice Islam are constantly negatively represented in the media, meaning that it’s difficult for them to experience this religious freedom because of the fear of persecution. We have witnessed so many radicalized people of faith, but we know that ISIS isn’t representative of all Muslims and Folau isn’t representative of all Christians. The small group of religious people who do excuse their destructive beliefs with their faith, paint the rest of their religion with the same harmful stereotype. The enforcement of religious freedom in a wrongful way not only harms the groups being discriminated against, but it also harms the very people in the religion.

Many argue that Folau and others shouldn’t be punished for the expression of their religious beliefs, but this argument falls flat when the Bible doesn’t even teach its followers to believe that “homosexuals are going straight to Hell” – as said by Folau himself. According to Rugby Australia, Folau wasn’t fired because of his religion, his comments had infringed the Player Code of Conduct. The code states that “players must treat everyone equally, regardless of their sexual orientation”. Folau’s case is one that comes under freedom of speech, not freedom of religion, so again it’s truly inane that Folau has tried to victimize himself after abusing the policy that was made to protect Australian people of faith who practice peacefully.

There are also arguments that if groups like the LGBT community can express their beliefs, people of faith can too; however, this argument is completely invalid. There are very few cases where LGBT people express hateful views toward others, most of these are cases of Internet trolling. Everyone in Australia has always had the right to hold their personal beliefs and morals, but there is a line between personal speech and then hate speech. It is fallacious to compare the belief that gay people should have the right to marry to the belief that all gays are going to Hell and should not be accepted by society, one doesn’t negatively affect anyone, but the other one does. You can interpret which one.

Religious freedom is important, it allows people of faith all over Australia to express themselves and their religion safely and without fear. But freedom of religion shouldn’t enable discriminatory views or offer resistance to punishment for the expression of said prejudice. Here’s a question for those who want to use their religion as a scapegoat for being a hateful bigot: do you really love thy neighbor?

We also use it as a strength. Faith is an important factor of our life. Faith helps me believe in my religion. When I have faith I start to form tradition. I start doing traditions to honor my faith. All of these traditions have been carried out by our ancestors. We use tradition in our everyday life.

One tradition I celebrate with my family each year is Christmas. The reason why Christmas is important to Catholics is because we have faith in our religion. Faith is when you have trust in something or someone, which for me is God. During Christmas I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God. My faith helps me believe in Jesus and have hope that Jesus will resurrect again to save us from sin. It is tradition to celebrate Christmas. During Christmas I spend time with my family. We also go to church one this day. While I am in church I would like to thank God and Jesus for what I have. Then we go back home and open presents. Christmas is a fun time to spend time with my family and praise the Lord.

Easter is also another tradition my family and I celebrate. During Easter us, Catholics, have faith that Jesus will come again and save us from sin. The Easter season helps me repent and turn back to God. During Easter, my family and I also go to church. During Easter, I spend time with my family, we would first say our prayers,then we would have a big feast. Easter is a fun time to spend with your family that’s why we would make it a tradition to do it every year.

Another tradition is to go to mass on first Fridays. Since I go to a Catholic school it’s a tradition for me to go with my school. While we are there we learn about our God and Jesus. We go to church on first Friday because Jesus died on a Friday and rose again on a Sunday, that is also why we go to church on Sunday. During the Friday, we pray to God and Jesus. This a good time to fully connect with God. By doing this it shows that we have faith in our God.

We can learn many things from one generation to another. We can learn things from our teachers, parents, elders, etc… While we grow we learn from stories. Back then they would tell stories using word of mouth. Now our parents and older relatives tell us stories about their faith. My parents would tell me stories about what they learned about God and their faith. My conclusion is that I can learn many things about one another’s faith. I still have so much to learn from one generation to another.

Memories and experiences have the ability to change a person’s life. Without them, people would never learn and grow. Although Night and The Crucible are different in that they both have completely different contexts, they both reveal the loss of faith in God through the author’s diction, which greatly affects the characters. Night by Elie Wiesel is a book about his own experiences with his father in the Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust. The book helps to convey the horrors people went through during the time of the Holocaust and how devasting it was, along with its lasting impact on those involved. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play about the Salem witch trials that took place during 1692-1693. In this book, reputation is tremendously important, where public and private moralities are one and the same, and the characters struggle with keeping their good reputations and giving into society. As for both works, it is evident that they are set in very different times and tell different stories, but in the end, both reveal the same truth through each author’s diction.

In The Crucible, Proctor’s aggressive diction in his realization that God is dead and is unable to protect people shows his loss of faith. In Act 3 of The Crucible, Mary Warren accuses John Proctor of being the Devil’s man. Instead of believing him, the judges believe her over Proctor. Proctor is then asked by Danforth to confess to working with the Devil by saying, “Will you confess yourself befouled with Hell, or do you keep that black allegiance yet? What say you?” (Miller 11). To this Proctor responds, “I say⎼I say⎼God is dead!” (Miller 111). Through Miller’s use of the word “dead” in Proctor’s exclamation, he is showing that if a man like him who is seen as proud and honorable, is accused of being a witch, then anyone can be punished or even killed for this crime, even if they are innocent. Therefore, there is no religious justice in Salem. Later in Act 3, after Proctor claims that God is dead, he goes on to say how God will no longer protect the people of Salem and how they cannot rely on Him. This is shown by Proctor saying, “God damns our kind especially, we will burn, we will burn together” (Miller 111). By using a word as powerful as “burn”, Miller shows how angered Proctor is from being unfairly accused. Additionally, “burn” has the connotation of being a very fast and intense moment of destruction, which is how the trials are described. Through Miller’s use of this powerful word, he shows that God is not on the side of the people of Salem and there is no point in believing and trusting him because he is letting them burn.

The author’s diction in Night is similar to the author’s diction in The Crucible, in that they both show the loss of faith in God. This is evident in chapter 5, when Eliezer wonders, angrily, where God is and refuses to bless God’s name because of all of the death and suffering He has let happen right in front of him. Everyone around him is blessing God’s name and naming Him the Almighty, but to this Eliezer thinks to himself:

Blessed be God’s name? Why, but why would I bless him? Every fiber in me rebelled. Because he caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves? Because He kept six crematoria working day and night, including Sabbath and the Holy Days? Because in His great might, He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many other factories of death? (Wiesel 67)

Through Wiesel’s use of the word “rebelled”, he shows how openly against supporting and relying on God he is, and he as well gains faith in himself and everyone around him because he knows that God will do nothing to help them. Secondly, the use of the phrase “factories of death”, shows how God let everyone down by allowing for thousands of his people to suffer and die for no reason. Next, after Eliezer and his father realize they have survived the first night at Birkenau, Eliezer reflects upon his terrifying experiences while in the concentration camp and its lasting effect on life and thinks:

Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed…Never shall I forget the little faces of the children… Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never. (Wiesel 34)

Here, Wiesel starts every line with the word “never” to reflect the inversion of Eliezer’s faith of God and the world around him. Everything he once believed in has been turned upside down. He watched God let his friends and family suffer. Through the line, “Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever” (Wiesel 34). Wiesel’s use of the word consumed, shows how the horrors he witnessed have completely taken over him, allowing him to lose belief in everything he once knew and believed in. He declares that his faith is completely destroyed, and he will never be able to forget the terrors he had been through. Just as he can never forget everything he witnessed that night, he can never completely reject his religion because it is such a huge part of him and his family.

Through Proctor’s loss of faith in God in The Crucible, he gains faith in himself towards the end of the book. At the beginning of the book, John Proctor is seen as an honorable and proud man, but towards the middle of the book, truths are revealed about him that go against this. He is accused of adultery with Abigail which could ruin his good name. Although he loses himself in the book, his loss of faith is God reveals how he gained faith in himself when Miller writes, “His breast heaving, his eyes staring, Proctor tears the paper and crumples it, and he is weeping in fury, but erect” (Miller 133). Proctor tearing up the paper is significant because in order to save his honor, he surrenders his physical body. To him, the paper symbolizes both the church and the courts, so by tearing it, Proctor is letting go of his religion and God Himself. He has finally come to the realization that God is dead and that he cannot lose himself by confessing to something he did not do. Therefore, he gains faith in himself by staying the honorable man that everyone thought he was at the beginning of the book. Another instance in which his loss of faith in God helped him gain faith in himself is shown at the end of the book when he refuses to confess. By not confessing, he knows he will die, but he cares more about his internal self rather than his physical body. This is evident when Hale has asked Elizabeth Proctor to plead with John Proctor to confess to which Elizabeth cries out, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him” (Miller 134). Although it deeply hurts her to do so, she knows that the only way for Proctor to declare his truth and find peace within himself is by never giving up who he is and not confessing to a lie. Proctor had spent a long time feeling guilty and upset about his affair, but through Miller’s use of the word goodness, he shows that for the first time in a long time, Proctor feels as though he is a worthy and brave man who must stand his ground on the issue of not confessing to a crime he did not commit.

While Proctor’s loss of faith in God allows him to gain faith in himself, Eliezer’s loss of faith in God causes him to lose faith in humanity and his loss of innocence is shown. Towards the beginning of Eliezer’s story, he was a very religious person who was often very curious and naive. Since religion used to be such a huge part of his life and was something he truly believed in, the moment he declared that God was dead, he lost his innocence in a world he thought was good. This is evident when he watches a young child be hanged to his death and someone asks where God is in this situation to which Eliezer thinks to himself, “Where He is? This is where – hanging here from this gallows” (Wiesel 65). This signified his acceptance that his faith in God has died along with the child who was innocent. Right after the child was hung and Eliezer declares God to be dead, he thinks, “My eyes had opened and I was alone, terribly alone in a world without God, without man. Without love or mercy. I was nothing but ashes now” (Wiesel 68). Eliezer always believed that God would be there to protect and watch over them, but when he witnesses all these people suffering, he realizes God has abandoned him. As shown through Eliezer’s thoughts in this moment, he feels empty inside and through Wiesel’s use of the word “opened”, he shows how all this suffering and torture has opened Eliezer’s eyes to see the truth. When he says he is alone in the world, he shows that there is no sense of community anymore. He also claims that he is “nothing but ashes”. The use of the word ashes is a reminder of devastation, terror, and sorrow, showing that never again will Eliezer live a day where he does not think about what happened in the camps and how the memories and experiences changed his life forever.

All in all, in both Night and The Crucible, the author uses diction to convey the loss of faith in God. This truth continues to grow in each book as the story progresses and helps to shape the lives of the characters. Without their loss of faith in God, Proctor would not have gained faith in himself, and Eliezer would not have opened his eyes to see the harsh reality of the world and the people in it. Therefore showing that truths revealed about life and people, change lives, because without them people would never learn from their mistakes and past experiences.

‘The Flower’ by George Herbert is an enthusiastic, jubilant poem in which a special picture of the metaphysical life is broaden with peace of mind and sophistication that easily come into sight. Herbert’s poem reflects his own relationship with God that is repeatedly unsettled, many times ecstatic; not thinking of himself or his own prominence too much, in spite of never questioning God’s devotion, affection, and competence. Herbert uses a flower to correlate his belief adventure and to grant the reader into his personal life. Herbert’s message in his poem is keeping your faith strong throughout all of the good and bad times in your life. The Flower in George Herbert’s display the themes of the viewpoint on life and maintaining a good relationship with God, pleasant imagery, joyful and uplifting tone, interesting vocabulary, and literary criticism.

“George Herbert was born in Montgomery, Wales, the fifth son of Richard and Magdalen Newport Herbert. His father died in 1596, and Herbert was educated by his mother, a woman known for her piety as well as her patronage of John Donne, among other writers. Herbert attended Westminster School in London and went on to receive both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cambridge University. He subsequently taught at Cambridge and was appointed to the prestigious post of public orator for the university. This could easily have led to a political career, but he gave up secular ambition to study for the priesthood; he was ordained in 1630. Herbert took over the church at Bemerton, near Salisbury, England, in 1630. He began to rebuild the decaying church with his own hands and, mostly, his own funds. Herbert had been writing poetry, in English and Latin, since his university days. During his life, however, he published only a few poems. But his priestly career was short-lived, as he contracted and died of tuberculosis. The majority of Herbert’s writings were published after his death.” (Hager).

Herbert comprises the viewpoint on life and maintaining a good relationship with God are the two themes in this poem. “These are thy wonders, Lord of power, / Killing and quickening, bringing down to hell / And up to heaven in an hour, / Making a chiming of a passing-bell’ (ln. 15-18). The speaker recognizes the power of God, the passing-bell was destined to signify the death of a parishioner and the chiming of a bell offers pleasant diversity. The concept of the flower’s feelings to make known clearly about the killing frosts: “The late-past frosts tributes of pleasure bring” (ln. 4). The flower loves the return of spring but frightened of a late frost and convinced that the harsh winter will in the course of time come again, lengthy for the lasting spring of “Paradise, where no flower can wither” (ln. 23) The flower’s selfishness and sinfulness it is watered and tries to seize heaven by its own growth and such vanity must then be penalized by God’s anger that is more rigid than frost. “But while I grow in a straight line, / Still upwards bent, as if heaven were mine own, / Thy anger comes, and I decline” (ln. 29-31). The speaker wants seemingly to reach God by climbing to heaven, just like a flower tries to reach towards for the sun.

Herbert veil of pleasant imagery in this poem. The poem begins from the outlook, view of a flower. While at first the flower may be regard as unconventional technique to writing about God however it is literally this ludicrous style that creates this poem compelling. “How fresh, O Lord, how sweet and clean / Are thy returns! even as the flowers in spring” (ln. 1-2). You can imagine the flowers blooming in springtime and the speaker is in a triumphal mood over the seasons changing from winter to spring. The flower acknowledges that the Lord does in verifiable truth control the seasons, in nature, and its life. “I once more smell the dew and rain, / And relish versing” (ln. 38-39). The speaker can smell the after-rain, dew and relish.

Herbert uses joyful and uplifting as the tone in his poem. The tone is one of wonderment at how simple and natural is when “Grief melts away / Like snow in May, / As if there were no such cold thing” (ln. 5-7). The poem relates the ups and downs of a character’s spiritual experience to the seasonal changes in the life of a flower. In the third stanza of ‘The Flower,’ Herbert gives voice to an editorial of faith which is itself a statement of the action taking place: “We say amiss / This or that is: / Thy word is all, if we could spell” (ln. 19-21). A man’s joy is to be found in doing the decent, appointed obligation, still soaring or modest, which he has taken from God. The reward is marvelous from God, “hast a garden for us where to bide; / Who would be more, / Swelling through store, / Forfeit their Paradise by their pride” (ln. 46-49). Once the fit of uncertainty in faith has move onward, it is awfully difficult to recall ever having lack confidence in at all. “It cannot be / That I am he / On whom thy tempests fell all night” (ln. 40-42). The work of God can be understood once we the people have generally agreed upon our mortality, and bend like flowers, to the will of God, then we the people also will see that he caters and supports the most remarkable garden for any kind of flower to live in.

Interesting vocabulary that Herbert uses in his poem. “Demesne” (ln. 3), meaning is domain and demeanor. “Shriveled heart” (ln. 8), meaning are the sorrows that seem to fade into the past. “Greenness” (ln. 9), meaning is to revive. “Spell” (ln. 21), meaning is to read. “Offering” (ln. 25), meaning is aiming. “Shower” (ln. 27), meaning is the tears of contrition. “Bent” (ln. 30), meaning is being directed. “Glide” (ln. 44), meaning is to slip silently away. “Prove” (ln. 45), meaning is having experience.

Literary criticism in The Flower by George Herbert. “The syntactical structures of this poem are no more successful at discerning or distinguishing than are the monuments they so unclearly present. Indeed, the forms of both (syntax and monuments) collapse simultaneously before the reader’s eye, and with them collapses the illusion they together perpetuate, the illusion that the world of time and space” (Fish). “Confronted with a poem of Herrick’s, a critic has something of a problem. Although he can easily murmur about poetic gems, or say, such comments are not completely satisfying. Perhaps for that reason Herrick’s poems have not, in this century, received the attention they deserve. Too often they have been either accepted as conventionally important, and thus not discussed seriously, or else dismissed scornfully as trivial and sentimental” (Whitaker). “The writer is not content with the obvious properties of natural objects but delights in discovering abstruser relations between them and the subject of his thought… It has been justly said of Herbert that if his thought is often recondite and far fetched yet the language is always simple and chaste… Language is an organ on which men play with unequal skill and each man with different skill at different hours. The man who stammers when he is afraid or when he is indifferent, will be fluent when he is angry, and eloquent when his intellect is active” (Emerson).

The Flower by George Herbert is an enthusiastic, jubilant poem in which a specific picture of the metaphysical life is broaden with peace of mind and sophistication that easily come into sight. Herbert’s poem reflects his own relationship with God that is repeatedly unsettled, many times ecstatic; not thinking of himself or his own prominence too much, in spite of never questioning God’s devotion, affection, and competence. Herbert uses a flower to correlate his belief adventure and to grant the reader into his personal life. Herbert’s message in his poem is keeping your faith strong throughout all of the good and bad times in your life. In conclusion; the themes of the viewpoint on life and maintaining a good relationship with God, pleasant imagery, joyful and uplifting tone, interesting vocabulary, and literary criticism for George Herbert’s The Flower.

Works Cited

1. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “On the Poetry of George Herbert.” John Donne and the Metaphysical Poets, Chelsea House, 2008. Bloom’s Literature, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=104863&itemid=WE54&articleId=21247. Accessed 2 Oct. 2019.
2. Fish, Stanley Eugene. “Letting Go: The Dialectic of the Self in Herbert’s Poetry.” John Donne & the 17th-Century Poets, Original Edition, Chelsea House, 2017. Bloom’s Literature, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=104863&itemid=WE54&articleId=504486. Accessed 25 Sept. 2019.
3. Hager, Alan. “Herbert, George.” Encyclopedia of British Writers, 16th and 17th Centuries,
4. Facts On File, 2005. Bloom’s Literature, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=104863&itemid=WE54&articleId=32203. Accessed 21 Sept. 2019.
5. Herbert, George. “The Flower”, English Literature, Tenth Edition, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, Volume B, 2018. pp. 1271-1273
6. Whitaker, Thomas R. “Herrick and the Fruits of the Garden.” John Donne & the 17th-Century Poets, Original Edition, Chelsea House, 2017. Bloom’s Literature, online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=104863&itemid=WE54&articleId=504569. Accessed 28 Sept. 2019.

How does one cope with feelings of uncertainty as the world around one loses faith? In his poem “Dover Beach,” Matthew Arnold explores the sentiment of humanity losing faith, and in times of uncertainty, turning instead to a loved one for trust and support. As new scientific discoveries came about in the late 1800s that contradicted aspects of religion, people began turning their backs on it and instead following these new scientific discoveries. Thus, in the poem, the speaker expresses his feelings of sadness and uncertainty as the world around him changes. However, the speaker instead finds hope in his love. Thus, by using diction, imagery, and figurative language, Arnold demonstrates that although the world may be losing its faith in religion, one can still find certainty and faith in other people.

The first stanza of “Dover Beach” gives the reader a feeling of gentle serenity and peace as the speaker describes the scenery of the beach. Throughout the stanza, Arnold uses words such as “calm” (line 1) and “tranquil” (line 6) when describing the sea and bay. These words give the reader a sense of serenity in this portion of the poem. Arnold also connotes the beauty of the sea when he describes it as “glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay” (line 5), further demonstrating the feeling of peace at Dover Beach. However, towards the end of the stanza, the tone shifts slightly to a sadder, more melancholy tone as the speaker describes the rhythm of the waves rolling in as having a “tremulous cadence slow” (line 13). The word “tremulous,” in this line denotes a gentle shaking, but it can also instill a feeling of unease or nervousness, enhancing the shift in tone and building up to the final line in which the rhythm of the waves is figuratively bringing in the world’s “eternal note of sadness” (line 14). Throughout the first stanza, the waves of Dover Beach are personified as it “roar[s]” (line 9) and “fling[s]” the pebbles on the beach (line 10). Most significantly, though, is the personification of the waves “bring[ing] the eternal note of sadness in” (line 14) mentioned earlier, as though the waves are at fault for setting the melancholy tone.

In the second stanza, the imagery of the recurrent flow of the waves continues. In this stanza, the speaker states that:

Sophocles long ago

Heard it on the Ægean, and it brought

Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow

Of human misery; we

Find also in the sound a thought,

Hearing it by this distant northern sea (lines 15-20).

The speaker relates this flow back to the time of Sophocles, an ancient Greek writer and philosopher. He imagines that Sophocles interpreted the crashing waves of Aegean the same way he sees the waves of Dover Beach: incessant, slow and rhythmic, drawing in humanity’s sorrow. In this portion of the poem, Arnold chooses to describe the movement of the Aegean sea as “turbid” (line 17). Although the word turbid denotes murky or muddy waters, in the context of the poem, the word can be interpreted as the speaker’s feelings: confused and uncertain of the world around him. The speaker’s feelings of nervousness, as described in the first stanza, and his uncertainty demonstrated here are further enforced later on in the poem, when the speaker brings forth the metaphorical “Sea of Faith” (line 21). In this line, Arnold uses the vehicle of the sea to help the audience understand his view of the tenor, religion. Like the repeating crash of waves, the world’s faith in religion is also receding. This recession, caused by the burgeoning of scientific discoveries that reject traditional faith, strips the earth of its sheath, only leaving its “naked shingles” (line 28). In lines 31 through 34, the speaker explains to his love that although the world seems to be dreamlike and heavenly, it has “neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain” (lines 31-34). Because of this, the speaker is left feeling nervous and uncertain of the new world around him, further enhancing his melancholy tone.

Despite all of this, the speaker still holds on to hope. Where his certainty and safety in religion has diminished, he finds new hope in his love. In the last stanza, the speaker proposes to his love to “be true to one another” (lines 29-30), extending his faith to her as a way to cope with the ever-changing world around him. This demonstrates that although the loss of religion in the world can make one feel hopeless and uncertain, one can still place faith in someone they care about and face the world together.

In his poem, Matthew Arnold expresses his concerns for the ever-changing world around him, and demonstrates his faith in loved ones to help him navigate this new world. Although “Dover Beach” was written in the late 1800s, the theme of relying on loved ones in times of uncertainty can still be applied in our current-day society. I especially relate to the sentiments of the poem because my life has been changing rapidly. In times of uncertainty and stress, I rely on my friends and family to guide and support me, even if they are miles apart from me. They are people I can put all my faith in. Therefore, I believe that Arnold’s poem is still relevant today and is still rightfully celebrated.

Religion is an institutionalized system of beliefs and practices concerning the supernatural realm, whereas spirituality refers to the personal beliefs by which an individual relates to, and experiences the supernatural realm (Lunn, 2009). These terms give us a concrete background on the key notion that my essay will be focused on; Faith based organizations and the implications they come with on development, both negative and positive. The concept of ‘faith,’ which refers to the human trust or belief in a supernatural reality is also linked with the above mentioned terms, and all form the key values that Faith Based Organizations are grounded on.

There are different views on the weight these Faith Based Organizations carry on development, there are both negative and positive implications that my essay will be centered on. I will also discuss the different perceptions I have deducted and gathered from the readings I have engaged with, presenting a clear description of what Faith Based Organizations are, how they emerged and the role they play in society, as well as in development. I will then point out the negative and positive implications they have, then give my overall analysis before I sum up the key points that mark concretion in my essay.

Burchardt (2013) defines FBOs as “a voluntary non-profit organization based on principles of a particular faith, working towards collective goods, embedded in civil society, and modeled along the lines of its secular sibling, the NGO.” In simpler terms, Faith Based Organizations can be best understood as a group of people that have come together on a religious basis and shared spiritual belief. FBOs have set out to direct their efforts towards the needs of their members; this includes cultural, spiritual and social needs of their members.

Another aspect that the Faith Based Organizations work hard to enhance is that of health, this is achieved when these organizations encourage physical and mental well-being of the members by dismissing negligent behavior. Faith Based Organizations have found a link between religious belief and health, thus have started establishing health ministries. They are also broadening those ministries to not only accommodate their own members but also, to accommodate the communities as a whole.

Recently, there has been greater identification, acknowledgement and value given to the contributions of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in supplying social services. Historically, FBOs have been particularly eminent in providing food, clothes, and shelter the people in need. Faith-based organizations have also played a role in helping promote housing and community development. Some fourteen percent of community development corporations (CDCs) are faith-based.

Faith-based organizations are engaged in a wide variety of activities beyond worship, most of which provide services and immediate benefits to needy individuals and families. More than half of all congregations participate. The approach they take most frequently is to support with donations and volunteer labor service delivery conducted by other types of organizations. The likelihood that they will become involved in this way appears to depend on several factors, including whether the congregation’s house of worship is in a poor neighborhood; whether the congregation has or can raise adequate resources, which depends importantly on its size (especially whether it is very large), and possibly on congregant income; its racial composition; its theological and political orientation; and pastoral leadership. Taken together, these factors suggest that independent participation in community development (i.e., without partners) is likely to be attractive to only a small fraction of congregations. To engage with maximum effect, they will generally need to work through a separately incorporated nonprofit entity, and fostering such an entity makes special demands on congregations. Despite their limited numbers, however, those congregations could make significant contributions to community development.

The exercises of Environment for Mankind in giving homeownership openings are outstanding. Almost 50% of all backers of lodging for the elderly created by HUD are religious. The significance of religious associations in our networks is underlined by the Hedge Organization’s making of another Office of Religious Exercises. The activity will exploit the vitality, experience, and responsibility of such religious associations by growing their job. As a government organization with a long history of working with FBOs, HUD has a lot of enthusiasm for this activity. Not just have FBOs been profoundly associated with the advancement of lodging undertakings, for example, those demonstrated above, FBOs are vital to the attachment of neighborhoods and the improvement of nearby networks.

Shockingly, the degree to which these associations have attempted social administration, network improvement, and lodging programs isn’t surely known. With the end goal to address this basic absence of data about the exercises of religious associations, HUD supported research on FBOs which was led through the span of the previous year. As result, the report ‘The Job of Religious Associations in Network Improvement’ can be distributed.

This gives some helpful direction as this current Organization’s drive advances. The report discloses to us some critical, simple data. As a matter of first importance, network advancement exercises managed by religious associations are going on, and will go on. We are given working meanings of various sorts of FBOs, and the report spreads out obviously a few points of interest and impediments of FBOs doing network advancement and lodging work. The report likewise affirms what numerous as of now comprehend—we don’t have the foggiest idea about a great deal of fundamental realities about what these exercises involve, who they serve, or what their effects are.

Larger faith-based organizations, notably those attached with major denominations, have some expertise in housing and community economic development, each directly and through their social investments. However, the extent of their participation is unknown. Among the separate faith-based nonprofits, faith-based CDCs are the best community development participants to spot, however a scientific analysis of their characteristics and activities remains to be done.

In her article, Tomalin (2012) has highlighted some of the key positive implications of FBOs that I will also discuss. FBOs are distinctive; this means that they have features that make them stand out and different from other organizations. This puts them in a better position compared to the others in line with it. They have objectives that convince donors to fund them. Their services are efficient as they motivate action and also, they reach poor communities; these services include the consistent provision of education, social needs and health facilities. Another remarkable thing that FBOs have is that they are more trusted and have long-standing roots in communities than secular organizations. “FBOs have comparative advantages that enable them to undertake selected development activities and help them operate in some contexts more effectively” (Tomalin, 2012).

Clarke has also highlighted some of the positive key values of the FBOs in his article (2007) and explained that FBOs are important factors, using idioms of spiritual beliefs to provide practical support to the poor and to mobilize the popular moral energy needed to effect political change. Faith Based Organizations add value to development in the following ways; they provide efficient development services; this includes making health and education centers accessible, even to the poor. They take it upon themselves to extend their services to the poorest communities and also; they reach areas that government services do not reach and provide physical infrastructure in those areas. They have long term sustainable presence, there never comes a situation whereby one wonders that when they go somewhere for quite a lengthy period, when they return the organization will not be there.

Faith Based Organizations are legitimate and are valued by the poorest communities. This means that throughout the lengthy period their organizations have been operating for, they have never proved to be unauthorized, they have always been conforming to certain rules. They also encourage civil society advocacy and play a huge role in political and social justice. Religious institutions have an influential voice in the village and in the nation as a whole.

There are also certain ways that these Faith Based Organizations provide a spiritual fuel for development, discussed in Burchardt’s article. FBOs give spiritual teachings that are essential for development; teachings about justice and reconciliation. They also give teachings about supernatural power, the power that goes beyond human might. This divine power energizes human spirits, while many believe that this divine power is greater than human effort can ever be. So in relevance, prayer can bring extra-ordinary power that will fuel change in development, when exercised correctly, with faith exerted.

There are also negative implications of Faith Based Organizations that were also discussed in the above cited articles that I have engaged with. There is nothing that only has a good side, no matter how good that particular things can be said to be, it is highly impossible for it to meet all its objectives without delay or absolute fail at some point, so below, I will be discussing the negative implications of FBOs.

Faith Based Organizations are said to be passively involved in the fight against global poverty, by the World bank. They avoid the challenges that are faced globally and become more involved in the struggles of those they regard to as being ‘faithful.’ In other words, they do not use their influence to demand fair and better governance and public accountability, hence this causes them to not be regarded as agents of transformation by possible donors. They are divisive; they somehow cause division and conflict in the society. Also, they are regressive, in a way that their norms can be interpreted to promote and maintain injustices such as slavery and apartheid.

These organizations are sometimes presented in ways that are highly insensitive to local cultures. Other FBOs have used their control over resources to manipulate people and covert their faith, and as a result, they start imposing their norms on people. Some of them fail to meet the donors’ accountability requirements, they lack skilled personnel in contexts of poverty and low literacy rates.

Summing up, I have discussed both negative and positive implications of Faith Based Organizations, to which I can conclude that they are for a good cause as they, without a doubt, add value to development. They do not only have the influence but also, they have the potential to enhance development (which makes it a good initiative) and this can be achieved through finding ways that can help minimize the negative implications efficiently and effectively.

The depictions of true Christian faith in “The Three Hermits” and “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” resemble one another in that God will accept all regardless of who they are and how they choose or choose not to worship. In the three hermits, the hermits pray to God and worship him in the only way they know, with their simple prayer. The Bishop asks how they worship and when they reply, he discredits their prayer and says “’You’ve obviously heard something about the Holy Trinity, ‘ he said. ‘But you don’t pray correctly.” (Tolstoy 170). He then proceeds to teach the hermits the Lord’s Prayer. Once the Bishop leaves, the hermits forget the prayer and rush to him to relearn it. The Bishop sees their love for God and realizes that God is accepting regardless of one’s means of prayer. He tells the hermits “’Your own prayer will reach the Lord, O men of God. It is not for me to teach you.. ‘” (Tolstoy 172).

In “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, God being accepting and loving to all is seen with Ivan. It is clear that he is not a religious man, seeing as he only calls out to God when asking him why he is sick “He wept over his helplessness, over his terrible loneliness, over the cruelty of people, over the cruelty of God, over the absence of God. ‘ Why have You done all this? Why have You brought me here? Why, why do You torment me so terribly? … ‘ (Tolstoy 83) and only takes communion at his wife’s request. Regardless, with the religious interpretation I took on his death, God is present and loving. This is seen in two instances of his death when Ivan sees the light. “pressed it to his lips, and wept. – Just then Ivan Ilyich fell through, saw light, and it was revealed to him that his life had not been what it ought, but that it could still be rectified. He asked himself what was ‘Fight,’ and grew still, listening.” (Tolstoy 90). Ivan was seeing the light of God here, although not being close to God, He was still accepting of Ivan and in this sentence, we could see the invitation into His kingdom. “Instead of death, there was light.” (Tolstoy 91). This is a depiction of true faith. Ivan doesn’t describe death as dying, but as light, which the reader can assume to be God’s Light. Although Ivan never explicitly said he was religious and only called out to God when he was angry for his illness, God still led him into the light.

In these two stories, God is accepting of both the three hermits and Ivan regardless if they have proper worshiping tactics or if they worship at all. In “The Three Hermits”, the bishop himself says the hermit’s own prayer will reach the lord, even though he previously claimed they were praying incorrectly. In “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, Ivan is obviously not religious but still sees His light and is accepted into his kingdom. These two stories have depictions of true Christian faith and resemble each due to God being accepting of all regardless of their worshiping methods, or no worship at all.

This profound article by Jenny Lunn stunningly encapsulates the correlation between religion, spirituality and faith, to development. Using the Critical Theory methodology, she breaks down the approach into three, and provides strong reasoning as to how religion does play a positive role on development. From the first critical theory principle of collection, analysis and interpretation of data, the three areas of development theory and academia, development policy and institutions, and NGOs are addressed. From the second principle-dialectical process, she critically analyses three aspects of religion- religious organisations, religious values and religious worldviews. With the third principle of self-determination and emancipation, she concludes that there is a potential for the future for …

There are three ways to look at religion and development. First is to think that religion plays no role in development, second is to think that it plays some role and the third is to think that it plays a major role in development.

Focusing on the first principle, we understand that data on development, up until the 20th century, does not show any strong attributions to religion, as the neo-Marxist approach believed that economic growth goes hand-in-hand with secularisation, and that religious practices was an impediment to economic advancement. Some cases even believed that religion was the ‘opium of the people’ and that it lacked the motivation to better the society. The lack of data attributions, whether purposeful or not, shows a kind of cultural imperialism that is believed to have some sort of a hinderance to developmental research. It is only from the 21st century that we see active attributions and mentions of religion by the non-western scholars and western scholars. The 1990s gave rise to more frameworks of post-developmentalism, post-colonialism, post-structuralism and post-traditionalism, allowing a multi-faceted approach that included religion. Since most present-day international bodies worked around religion, without involving it, more and more people realised that sustainable development can be achieved if we involve religion in developmental strategies. Apart from these, there is a special mention of ROs, and how actively they work towards development.

The second principle then focuses on how different religious bodies work for the people and are active at the different levels of society, in the different parts of the world. They are well distributed and very often manage to bridge the gap that governments fail to. They stand out because of their zeal and commitment for the people and communities. It is this reason that makes them more trustworthy than any governmental organisation, but they sometimes tend to evangelise and convert the people and are therefore looked upon with suspicion.

Major religions of the world focus on values such as works of charity and respect for all, compassion and care for those in need, justice and equality, and care of nature. These values, along with a framework of “do to others what you would have done to you”, would make for a common ground of universal aspirations and a ‘space for cultural and religious diversity’. This would also give rise to a new world of generosity, care, respect and co-operation.

The third principle draws attention on how religion should be seen as a basis for development, as it comprises of societies that are instrumental in making progress. Suggestions of a dual approach has been made by certain scholars, which encourages the use of sacred/spiritual methods alongside secular developmental strategies, to work with local communities to arrive at a middle ground for progressing sustainably. This part ends with the thought of whether we are discovering potential religious world-views for development, or simply just rediscovering it.

Analysis: Religion, whether active or passive, plays a key role in the shaping an individual, regardless of whether they have a religious outlook of life. Often, it helps them justify their actions- good or bad. Religions build communities based on common values and principles that work towards creating a better life. For a long time, the activities undertaken by religious bodies have been undermined, overlooked and taken for granted. Despite the division of the church and state, religious bodies still actively work to provide for the community. The article highlights how gaps are filled by these bodies, irrespective of whether they have a hidden agenda (evangelisation and conversion) or not.

Although religious practices are viewed as traditional, and perhaps even outdated, yet they are still relevant to the very core of communities- individuals. Incorporating their values into the modern-day society might be our only hope in creating a sustainable tomorrow.

In a dog eats dog world, a more collective approach to society, I believe, will pave the way for a better future as it will make us more mindful of our actions and its consequences. A combination of common religious values, local communities, governing bodies and international agencies should work together to form sustainable developmental strategies that is unique to the needs of the people and the state, whilst maintaining peace. There is no universal religious/faith-based approach you can take for peace-building and development, neither can you take a completely secularist approach in this modern world, but it is when both opposing worldviews combine that you can actually see progress.

Discussion: On the onset, everyone agreed that religion does play a significant role in development. Although there are different religions in different parts of the world, what really unites people is their motivation for development and betterment. Nobody is neutral. Despite being independent thinkers, everything we do is highly influenced by our backgrounds, experiences, upbringing, culture, communities and religion. You can claim that you are not religious, but your very outlook of life is influenced by religion in some way or the other.

For a long time, religious heads did have a say in the affairs of the state, and that together worked for the welfare of the people in the state. Since the formal separation and introduction of secularism, religious heads are not that involved. However, these religious institutions, in the name of charity, do work for the betterment of society, whether within the state or outside of it. Education and healthcare and other basic needs are the key areas of focus. International NGOs and FBOs need to understand the need of the people they are trying to help and not try to disrupt their way of life because of the religious beliefs of their organisations; i.e., who they are, where they come from and who they are helping (ref. ‘White Saviour Complex’). At this juncture, someone in the group shared about how she had to sign the Apostles’ Creed when she joined a Christian NGO, although she wasn’t a practicing Christian. Another person in the group, brought out the idea that most Western people tend to impose their ideas on the local community. People on missions tend to evangelise the lesser fortunate, and that most international bodies, due to various reasons, tend to focus more on what their needs are rather than what the community needs (for example, missions perhaps build schools and toilets for local communities but fail to ensure that they have all they need to keep these facilities up and running, only because they want to show numbers).

In conclusion, we believe that religion, although formally separated from the state, does influence and affect development in more ways than one. Most religions branch out of from the idea of, “do to others what you would have done to you”, so we need to act collectively in order to work for development regardless of what aspect of faith, religion or spirituality motivates them. There should be a middle ground that works for and in unison with the local communities and governing bodies in order to achieve the same. As more and more efforts are being made to work towards building a sustainable tomorrow, we should not leave behind some of the core values we get from religion. Despite the many challenges, I believe that both religion and development can go hand-in-hand to work for the people, and that religion does, significantly, contribute to development.

Faith can be influenced by the people we surround ourselves with, the religions we grew up with, particular things we believe in, and all of them define us based on the degree of our confidence in faith. Founded on all these fragments of our life are the countless diverse forms and ways to make us believe in faith. Every faith involves a decision. It is not about what we claim to believe, but what we actually do believe based on evidence and facts that is true belief or knowledge. To understand the truth, it requires trust to accept the truth as it is, without a doubt. Faith, therefore, is acquiring knowledge through the struggle of life that enables us to understand and accept the truth; Having faith is essential for finding our purpose and meaning in life or our passion, which leads to the development of self-trust and identity.

To understand the concept of faith is to understand the dedication of a person towards their power to obtain knowledge that fits their personal or religious beliefs. The sacrifices we make every day to achieve knowledge, such as getting an education and getting a college degree, helps a person understand how faithful they are to their life and finding what their passion is. They can achieve reality as their vision becomes clear as to which belief is more fitting to them. Having faith is to acquire this knowledge, which allows us to rationalize the truths and the facts of our past and history. History is simply one’s interpretation of the past or an event that can be told through different perspectives. Hence, it is vital to understand and accept the truth, so we can find our passion and value in life or to have faith.

Struggle is the situation in which oneself carries the unbearable weight of others, foraging to find both purpose and worth, or suffering through the miseries of life. Struggle is necessary in order to emphasize how persistence could overcome adversity. Without life struggles, one does not have faith because it is through these hardships that one finds self-confidence and one’s purpose in life because these misfortunes helps to shape one’s mindset and attitude. Faith is simply a struggle for life in that a person who has struggled in life will always be sensitive towards others, will value people more than things, and will be slightly wiser than someone who has never seen struggle. When we struggle with something under our control and overcome that struggle, we learn to appreciate the value of that something better. We understand, first hand, the work, and effort that went into accomplishing or gaining that something. If given to us with little effort, we often value that something less than if we earned it. Struggling with something outside of our control is what shapes our lives. It brings to surface our true character. Through this, we start to develop self-trust by being aware of our thoughts and feelings and expressing them, following our personal standards and ethical code, knowing when we need to care for ourselves first, knowing we can make mistakes, get up and try again, and pursuing what we want without stopping or being limited by others; This is the true essence of having faith.

Jean-Paul Sartre proposes the idea of bad faith based on the human condition that is comprised of two parts: facticity and transcendence. Facticity is the set of facts that you have no power over (i.e., your body, your past, your place, and your history). Transcendence is your consciousness that is directed beyond itself and is constant “negating” or “being other than” (i.e., your freedom and choice). Bad faith, therefore, is denying either one’s facticity or transcendence.

In Ta-Nehisi Coates’ memoir, Between the World and Me, Coates narrates his experiences and thoughts of being a black man in America. Growing up in Baltimore, Coates’ early childhood revolved around “the Fear,” which meant the ability to lose his body because it was not his to govern and secure; It belonged to the “Dreamers.” To protect his body, he had to learn the rules of the streets and how to discipline his body in school. He says, “I was black because of history and heritage” and realizes that being “black” was “just someone’s name for being at the bottom, a human turned to object, object turned to pariah” (Coates 55). He thinks being black solely meant “living in a box.” Thus, Coates is in bad faith, according to Sartre, for believing that this is the only way to live.

However, as Coates goes to Howard University, a historic all-black college, his definition of being “black” starts to change as he witnesses different attributes and behaviors of his race. From watching students freely playing saxophones, trumpets, and drums to seeing women with hijabs and long skirts, Coates’ view of the physical world expands beyond his current knowledge. He realizes that living and being in a black body meant more than merely “living in a box” because these people are able to express themselves and move their bodies freely without the control and rules of how to behave from society. Coates’ epiphany made him understand that he had been blindsided by the fear that he grew up with and that there was more to his identity than his history and body. Diversity doesn’t just exist between being “black” or “white,” but could also be found within his race. School had suppressed his curiosity in finding answers to what it means to live freely in America, but being at Howard, Coates found his freedom that he denied in the past or his transcendence.

Additionally, Coates’ awakening intensifies as he goes to New York and France for the first time. In Howard, diversity existed, but only within the black spectrum. Upon arriving in New York, he sees cross-cultural interactions and relationships that he never encountered before. He was in shock to see this because this was something he never thought was possible. Moreover, being in Paris for the first time made him step out of his comfort zone. He says he felt like an “alien,” “a sailor” because, for the first time, he was alone in a foreign country (Coates 124). Everything he learned and mastered growing up, such as the rules of the streets and the disciplines in school, no longer applied. By living by the standards and regulations of society, Coates realizes he was living in his own sphere, not experiencing the things he should have been able to. He learns to accept himself and his body through his transcendence and the journey of obtaining new knowledge. He feels that being black could also mean the right to freedom and entitlement to happiness in a dominant white society despite his history. Coates was able to develop his own identity through his struggle of living in the “Fear,” which is his faith.

As a child, Coates was stripped of his identity, forced to “perform” his role as a submissive subject/object. His history and heritage projected an image that he felt obligated to follow. Coates lives with constant faith because his life is a continuous struggle of racism for being a black man in America, and there was nothing he could do to change this fact. Coates’ journey from moving out of Baltimore and into New York and Paris for the first time, however, has changed his perspective of what it meant to be black. At first, he thought being black meant confinement and living to societal standards and expectations to protect his body. Through his experience in Howard and his trip to New York and France, being black feels normal to Coates because he no longer felt confined in a diverse society. This newfound knowledge enabled Coates to have faith that he lacked at first because his struggle of life and existence gave him a new meaning of life.

In particular, Prince Jones’ death greatly impacted him because he knows how easily it could have been him in that situation and reminded him of the “old fear” he grew up with as a child. Coates felt anger and rage because he knows he can never truly escape his struggle in life. However, rather than feeling trapped and letting his facticity define him, Coates used these emotions to develop self-trust, which is required for forming almost all beliefs, according to Zagzebski. Zagzebski argues that emotions have meaning, can be evaluated, and are rational, and this can be seen in Coates’ situation. Coates channeled the emotions of feeling unjust in the world he lives in as his form of identity by choosing to be a writer. Writing gave him a sense of comfort and is the only thing he could turn to and secure, given the facts of his body and the past. For this reason, Coates’ preceding knowledge of his history and his body as an adolescent evolved into a form of expression as he acquired a new understanding and knowledge of his freedom through the struggles of his life to become a writer.

For the most part, Coates struggled with internal and external conflicts as he finds faith. Internally, Coates holds conflicting disagreements between his heart and his mind. Coates was always curious and felt like society, in particular schools, has been hiding the truth from him. He feels that there is more to who he is then what schools and society have made him to be. At the same time, he knows that being black also means obedience and submission towards the “Dreamers,” who are essentially white privileged families because he cannot change the past or the history of America. The dilemma of “being black is” and “being black feels like” arises as a result. Meanwhile, Coates continues to struggle with society’s oppression, which adds to his internal conflict with himself. Coates’ struggle of life has shaped his mindset and allowed him to appreciate better the things he has (i.e., his son, which is the reason he wrote this book as a letter to him to tell him what he has experienced and learned so he will have a better life than he did). Through his struggles, Coates developed self-trust by being aware of his thoughts and feelings and expressing them by pursuing what he wants to be, demonstrating the importance of having faith.

Faith, or a struggle of life, can be applied to many areas of life in our pursuit of knowledge and the acceptance of the truth. However, it is not about what we claim to believe, but what we actually do believe based on evidence and facts that is true belief or knowledge. Acquiring this knowledge is crucial to helping one find their purpose in life and develop one’s identity and self-confidence, which is what it means to have faith.