Faith & Hope

Written by Miguel Santiago

Faith and hope are fundamental elements in the dynamics of society and humanism. Both connect individuals in profound and transformative forms.

1. Social connection: Faith and hope unite people regardless of cultural or geographical differences. They encourage compassion, empathy and solidarity. For example, in times of crisis, we often see people joining mutual support with faith and hope to overcome difficulties.
2. Promotion of Humanism: Humanism, which emphasises the value and agency of the human being, is often driven by faith and hope. These elements allow us to believe in the human ability to make a difference, to change for the better and to build a brighter future.
3. Positive and negative consequences: On the other hand, faith and hope can also have adverse effects. For example, blind faith can lead to religious intolerance, and unreal hope can cause disappointment and despair. However, these are not intrinsic characteristics of faith and hope but result from their erroneous or extreme application.

As we can balance faith and hope with a realistic and empathic understanding of the world, we can use these elements to strengthen our social connections, promote humanism and its values, and minimise or mitigate any negative consequences.

Photo by Hillie Chan on Unsplash