You might also have added the reality that "faith" and "belief" translate the same noun in the New Testament, as does their verbal forms translate the same verb. So for the Johannine, Lucan, Pauline, and Jacobean Scriptures, there is, plainly, no distinction to be found at all.
Well then, I blame Holmes and Westerhoff!
Your first point is one I grappled with, at least momentarily. The Incarnation is rather critical, and one cannot "have faith" in such a concept without some degree of intellectual dancing.
Questionable theology, but apparently an effective discussion starter.
Oh, and btw, it just so happens that I do have absolute faith in Jesus Christ...for at least the last 40 years. Not sure from what source you drew your assumption that I was lacking in that faith.
That's fine-- such faith is to be commended. But even to say "Jesus" is to have to deal with the question: "Who is Jesus?" -- not just on the Christological level, which indeed can be fudged quite a bit, but on an ordinary human level. It's obvious that a lot of people, through history, have had trouble with the particularity of the Orthodox Jesus, but conversely I lose interest in the Christian story when Jesus is "shown" not to be any particular person.
I haven't read that particular book, but I have read other works of Holmes's. And he is emphatic about the importance of the incarnation to Anglican theology; indeed, he draws a line on that basis and puts Tillich on the opposite side. And I sense that the "modernist" side of theology has gotten uncomfortable with asserting the incarnation in the same way that it is uncomfortable with the images of scripture in general. That's where I focus my interest, because I am not uncomfortable with them, and I am not confortable with the way Tillich (to take the present example) asserts without much justification that such discomfort with the old images is proper (and indeed, prevalent). They work for me, and that opens up the opportunity to consider the reasons for trying to discard the old images.
When it comes to Jesus, it does seem to me that to have faith in Jesus we have to say the "right" things about Jesus. And by "right", I should say, "right enough". If I am to point to Jesus, my finger pointing doesn't have to be perfect, any more than indicating the direction of my house has to be perfect. But if my house is to the south, and I point north (or even east or west), that's definitely wrong. Thus arises my impatience with the whole "don't address God as 'Father'" liturgical push. "Father" we have, from Jesus; if you are going to say, "well, here's this other name we should use," I'm inclined to say, "where did God say that we should use that instead?" I just can't see anyone's discomfort with the language as a trump card. Likewise, I don't see the divine direction to argue with the traditional formulations-- not so much the creeds, though they have 1650 years of consensus to back them up, but simply the language of scripture as it appears in our discourse.
No real disagreement with what you said.
I also object to translations that read into the Greek and Hebrew stuff that is clearly not there. And, the Prayer Book is the Prayer Book; that language also cannot be played with.
I'm in no way a biblical or liturgical scholar. I don't have the "authority" to play with the words. The text is the text. Period.
But, when encouraging folks to reflect on what would otherwise be a mundane topic, tossing out a few "what ifs" can be quite effective.
Personally, I think referring to God as "Father" (or "Mother" for that matter) and equating that with our earthly parents is to misunderstand the intention of Jesus, and to place an unnecessary stumbling block before those who have negative experiences of parents.
Yet, that is the translation approved, so we use it.
A better argument might be made against the English "Lord" (Adonai), which bothers some Americans (at least it bothers me), not so much because of the gender, but because it smells of aristocracy.
Yet, it does carry the weight of "obedience"...so, unless the translators come up with a better word, I'll use it.
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