It seems to me a bit of a nuisance that religious belief systems are called "faiths" as in "faith schools," i.e. a school in which a dominant ideology is given a high, or at least some, profile. A Roman Catholic primary school, a madrassa, whatever.
The following is about, or from, a book I haven't actually read, which is simply called "Faith," by this woman:
"The tendency to equate faith with doctrine, and then argue terminology and concepts, distracts us from what faith is actually about.
Whether faith is connected to a deity or not, its essence lies in trusting ourselves to discover the deepest truths on which we can rely.
Faith is not a commodity we either have or don`t have - it is an inner quality that unfolds as we learn to trust our own deepest experience.
Many link faith to narrow-minded belief systems or the word evokes images of submission to a higher authority. Fanatics harness what they call faith to hatred...but I want to invite a new use of the word faith, one that is not associated with a dogmatic religious interpretation.
I want to encourage delight in the word, to help reclaim faith as fresh, vibrant, intelligent, and liberating. This is a faith that emphasizes a foundation of love and respect for ourselves. The Buddha said that faith is the beginning of all good things. No matter what we encounter in life, it is faith that enables to try again, to trust again, to love again, even in times of immense suffering."
Sharon Salzberg.
A true faith school would be one that helped children develop their own faith, in a world which shouts conflict and alienation at us, much of the time.
This guy has faith that he'll reach the other side:
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