Why do some people come to faith and not others?
By Ian Paul. Psephizo.
There are several different dimensions to this question. The theological: is it reasonable that some find faith easy, whilst others struggle? Philosophical: is it the case that we actually have free will when factors of situation and personality appear to be so significant? Apologetic: can we believe in a God of justice when contingent decisions might have eternal consequences? Ecclesial: are Christians distinct from others in terms of personality? Missional: what factors actually bring people to faith? But of course the one at the forefront of most people’s minds is the pastoral: why does my spouse/friend/family members find the idea of faith so difficult or unappealing? And is there anything I can do about it?
A quick bit of online research on differences between those who believe and those who don’t yielded nothing much more than atheist websites, who came to the conclusion (not surprisingly) that Christians were more gullible and less rational, though they did also suggest that those finding faith were more sociable. This last point is interesting—though it is difficult to say whether this is cause or effect. Churches remain almost unique in modern society in offering an all-age, multi-cultural social space where there is serious encounter between people from different strata of society. If there is some research out there about why some find faith easier and others harder, let me know in the comments.
To reflect on this issue in the group, we did three things. The first was to reflect on our own stories of finding faith, and on the factors involved, in two stages:
Think for a moment about the process by which you came to faith. What were the factors you were aware of at the time? As you look back, what other factors can you see?
Now compare your story with someone else. How much is there in common, and how much difference?
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