okay...we'll leave open the option that my words don't convey the meaning i intended. but...i don't think faith equals anti-intellectualism.
I know the Church is human, falliable, and broken. I know my beliefs are not always right. Why have confidence in any of it? Becuase i have had experiences of love, reconciliation, and redeemption. Thats what i'm talking about when i say:
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...And I can’t base this trust in the abstract, and just conjure faith from nothing. But, I can trust what I have seen. I can trust in seeing people cross boundaries of faith, to challenge and support each other in seeking justice and peace at the Interfaith retreat a few weeks ago. I can trust in all of the witnesses that have touched my life, and shown me resilient and steadfast love. I can trust in the expectation that has sustained so many communities during their struggle for rights and freedom, with out assuming the violence and oppression that wounded them. I can trust in mercy that allows me to move on from these crisis of faith, and assures me that I am still in God’s image, no matter how clouded my thoughts, or thin my conviction. I can trust that anger and schism in the church is not the solution to be sought, but a pain we endure. I can trust God’s yes to creation, because I can hear that whisper, even amongst the clamor and noise of human shortfall.
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The faith i hope for is expressly not the blind sort that has no precondition. I want it to be a hope grounded in my experience...and i'm trying to point out what experiences we can draw that hope from. The challenge to me is not to create faith and defend it...but to search for the truth that i can have confidence in becuase i know it is real in my life.
Also... i'd challenge you to make a distinction between your definitions. I don't think there is one, save a perjorative and normative value judgement. Faith one is bad. Faith two is good. And there isn't a whit of objective difference between them.
And...one word on tone. I'm not trying to trick anyone. You don't think that rational experience can develop an abstract faith...that's fine. Take the words or leave them...but take me at my word when i tell you that i mean these things sincerely, and with out any desire to mislead. I take my ministry seriously...and while i accept, even welcome that many will disagree with me, i am not quite prepared to accept the civility of someone who attacks my integrity.