“Faith which does
not doubt is dead faith.”
– Miguel de Unamuno (1864 – 1936)
Spanish philosopher
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Question ::: How does doubt factor in your faith, lately?
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Miguel de Unamuno, Tragic Sense of Life (15:06)
Doubts Even Here (New Order) remastered (4:21)
Zen Garden Buddhist Meditation (17:58)
In today’s SFZ, the idea of faith without doubt raises a crucial question in recovery: is unshaken certainty truly necessary? In Step Two, recovery literature emphasizes that belief in a Higher Power can emerge slowly, even uncertainly. The Basic Text notes that belief “does not come easily to all of us,” and recommends “acting as if” belief were present. This practice aligns with William James’ pragmatic approach in The Varieties of Religious Experience, where he argues that belief can emerge from action. We don’t need certainty to begin; we need willingness.
Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, expresses a similarly tentative faith in The Big Book. He admits that his belief stopped short of organized religion but still sensed “a mighty purpose and rhythm.” This mirrors Paul Tillich’s theology in The Courage to Be, where faith is understood not as the absence of doubt, but as the act of accepting uncertainty while still committing. Tillich insists that doubt is not the opposite of faith, but a necessary component of it.
Miguel de Unamuno’s assertion that “faith which does not doubt is dead faith” challenges blind belief. True faith, in his view, is dynamic—always wrestling, always searching. His philosophy supports a recovery model where personal spiritual paths are valid, evolving, and deeply individual.
Recovery does not demand unyielding conviction. It asks for openness, practice, and honest doubt. Through “acting as if,” many find that belief grows naturally. Step Two invites the courage to question—and to keep showing up anyway.
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