Faith and Belief

[Maranatha]

Are faith and belief synonyms? Are there differences?
Can someone have faith while still having doubts? Can that person become Catholic?

faith

faith fayth ] (plural faiths)
noun

1. belief or trust: belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof
2. religion religion or religious group: a system of religious belief, or the group of people who adhere to it
3. religion trust in God: belief in and devotion to God
   Her faith is unwavering.
4. set of beliefs: a strongly held set of beliefs or principles
   people of different political faiths
5. loyalty: allegiance or loyalty to somebody or something

[13th century. Via Old French feid from Latin fides “trust, belief” (source of English confide and fealty). Ultimately from an Indo-European word that is also the ancestor of English federal.]

keep faith with somebody or something to be loyal or true to a person or promise

on faith without demanding proof

belief

be·lief bi lf ] (plural be·liefs)
noun

1. acceptance of truth of something: acceptance by the mind that something is true or real, often underpinned by an emotional or spiritual sense of certainty
   belief in an afterlife
2. trust: confidence that somebody or something is good or will be effective
   belief in democracy
3. something that somebody believes in: a statement, principle, or doctrine that a person or group accepts as true
4. opinion: an opinion, especially a firm and considered one
5. religion religious faith: religious faith

[12th century. Alteration of Old English gelēafa on the model of believe.]

 

[Shiann]

I guess a “belief” is something that comes from me. It is something I decide upon.

“Faith” is a gift from the Holy Spirit. One that I must consciously ask for and accept.

I pray for “faith” that my “belief” might be greater.

 

[RyanL]

you may spend a little time with the catechism of the catholic church…

Believing
articles signified in the Apostles’ Creed, 184, 190-01
consequences of believing in God, 222-27
doubts of faith, 2088
ecclesial act of belief, 181
firm knowledge of divine omnipotence, 274
gift of, 153, 179, 1266
human act of, 154-55, 166, 180
motive for, 156
necessity of faith to obtain salvation, 161
references to the act of, 177
refusal to believe, 1034
significance of, 26, 155, 1064

Faith
as an act of belief
“Analogy of faith,” 114
Baptism and, 1236, 1253-55
Baptism, Confirmation, and the power to profess, 1270, 1305, 1319
birth of, 683-84, 875
Catechism of the Catholic Church and the doctrine of, 13-18, 23
death for the sake of, 1281, 2473-74
diversity of faith between spouses, 1633-37
Eucharist as sum and summary of, 1327
evil and the answer of, 309
family as a community of, 2204
as a gift of God, 153
God and the things ordained by God as the object of, 150-52, 170, 178, 182, 206
grounds of, 156, 651
as a human act by no means contrary to freedom and human reason, 154-55

there is much more here:
scborromeo.org/ccc/index/a.htm

RyanL

 

[Mickey]

And immediately the father of the boy crying out, with tears said: I do believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. Mark 9:24