Navigating the Intersection of Religious Faith and Moral Law

Abstract

What is the Relationship between Religious Faith and Moral Law? Can Religion Serve as a Pathway Towards Moral Truth? Faith is unquestionable belief in something or someone. In this respect, religious faith is an unquestionable belief in the religion's set standards, rules, and regulations. According to Penelhum (2019), religious faith is belief and trust in spiritual forces or a deity seen as setting standards of conduct, responding to prayers, and assuring the ultimate triumph of good over evil. In short, one can argue religious faith as a strong belief in the religion "God or gods" or the supreme doctrines or teachings that guide such a religion. On the other hand, moral law signifies a general rule of the right to live. According to Lee (2018), moral law is a universal guideline that directs a person into the right way of living and is believed to have the sanction of God’s will, conscience, man's moral nature, and natural justice revealed to human reasoning. Therefore, one can argue that moral law is a set of rules that governs human reason, with intentions and consequences of any decision as to potential forces in determining success in adherence to moral law. While considering the relationship between religious faith and moral law, it is clear that both approaches advocate for right over evil. However, religious belief may contradict moral law when some practices prove just from the religious perspective but not morally right. For example, some religions like Hinduism have no absolute prohibition of killing, which is an immoral act that no one should engage in whatsoever from a Christian point of view. The law of nature dictates that life is precious, priceless, and offered freely by nature and thus should remain respected and valued in all instances. Arguing from the...