Editing Faith (section)

=== Fideism ===
{{Main|Fideism}}
Fideism is considered to be a [[philosophical theory|philosophical position]] rather than a comprehensive [[epistemology|epistemological theory]]. It maintains that faith is independent of [[reason]], or that reason and faith are hostile to each other and faith is superior at arriving at particular [[truth]]s (see [[natural theology]]). Fideism is not a synonym for religious belief but describes a particular philosophical proposition concerning the relationship between faith's appropriate jurisdiction at arriving at truths, contrasted against reason. It states that faith is needed to determine some philosophical and religious truths, and it questions the ability of reason to arrive at all truth. The word and concept had its origin in the mid to late-19th century by way of [[Catholic]] thought, in a movement called [[Traditionalism (Catholicism)|Traditionalism]]. The Roman Catholic [[Magisterium]] has, however, repeatedly condemned [[fideism]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|first=Richard|last=Amesbury|url=https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/fideism/|title=Fideism|encyclopedia=Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy|access-date=14 October 2015}}</ref>

Critics of fideism suggest that it is not a justified or rational position from an epistemological standpoint. Fideism holds that religious beliefs cannot be justified or evaluated based on evidence or reason and that faith alone is a sufficient basis for belief. This position has been criticized because it leads to dogmatism, irrationality, and a rejection of the importance of reason and evidence in understanding the world.<ref>{{cite book|last=Audi|first=R.|year=2005|chapter=Fideism|title=The Cambridge dictionary of philosophy|publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>

[[William Alston]] argues that while faith is an important aspect of religious belief, it must be grounded in reason and evidence to be justified.<ref>{{cite book|last=Alston|first=W.P.|year=1986|title=Divine nature and human language: Essays in philosophical theology|publisher=Cornell University Press}}</ref>