Merriam-Webster defines the word “faith” as “something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially, a system of religious beliefs.” This relatively simple definition, however, does not tell the whole story of the word and its hidden meanings. The different connotations of the word “faith” make it a complex word to study. For many individuals, faith directly relates to religious conviction, such as someone’s faith in the god of their religion. For others, faith can simply mean trust, as in the trust one puts in a friend to come through for them in a time of need. Following this reasoning, the word “faith” can be grouped into two different categories of meaning: religious and non-religious. Though these categories differentiate the word, both meanings make the word “faith” a deeply-personal conviction.
Firstly, as noted by the Merriam-Webster definition, the word “faith” can relate to a strong religious conviction. In fact, the word is often coupled with various religious titles, such as the Christian faith, or the Muslim faith. Taken this way, the religious connotations of the word imply its spiritual meaning. To have religious faith is to believe strongly in a god or gods and to continue to believe despite evidence to the contrary. For example, a person of the Christian faith may never have experienced the miracles of Christ firsthand, but if that individual has faith, he or she will continue to believe in the faith anyway. One does not typically need evidence to validate true faith, which at its most basic form implies belief beyond the experience of one’s senses. All religions require faith to persist, since most of the faith’s parishioners will never in their lifetimes experience miracles or extrasensory experiences that might validate their belief. Certainly, most will not experience direct contact by the god they worship. Religions rely on pure faith to sustain conviction. If the individuals of a faith all lost belief in their religion, it would cease to exist.

Secondly, the term “faith” can have a nonreligious meaning as well. This form of the word is associated more with friendship and family than with spirituality. To define the word “faith” in a nonreligious sense, one would likely refer to the common bonds that join people throughout their lives. For example, a friend might say to another friend, “I have faith in you.” In this way, the individual is not referring to supernatural spirituality, but to common belief in the abilities of the other person. Additionally, a parent might have “faith” in his or her child’s ability to succeed in school, despite evidence to the contrary. A student might be performing poorly at midterms, for example, yet the parent (or teacher) of that student might have faith that he or she will turn things around. Since the student’s marks so far have been poor, there is no direct evidence that the student will suddenly do better on the next exam or paper. Nevertheless, having faith in that student’s ability means to believe in that person and to have the absolute assurance that the individual will succeed no matter the odds. This strong belief, oftentimes against direct evidence, is what make the word “faith” so deeply personal to many people, in both a religious and nonreligious sense.

The complexity of the word “faith” makes it an interesting word to study. While its basic Merriam-Webster definition is “something that is believed especially with strong conviction,” the true definition of the term can have much deeper intricacy. In general, the definition of the word faith can be grouped into religious and nonreligious meanings. Each meaning, however, typically reveals deeply personal conviction for the individual who has faith.

• “Faith.” Merriam-Webster, 23 Nov. 2017, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faith.