Synopsis

Within the pages of this book, I have presented the belief that the development of individual religious faith must always be seen against the backdrop of biography. How we have lived and what we have experienced are the brushes that paint the picture of faith upon the canvas of our lives. Theology cannot be divorced from biography.

As I have analyzed the story of my life and have reflected upon the lives of others, I have become convinced that nine elements are instrumental in the formulation of religious—and in particular, Christian—faith. I list them here as a summary and concluding statement:

• the inheritance of tradition
• the perception of intuition
• the insight of reason
• the experience of emotion
• the testimony of Jesus
• the influence of the Holy Spirit
• the impact of the teachable moment
• the catalyst of fellowship
• the process of following