FAITH TO LEAD KNOWLEDGE By Leonardus Nana

FIDES QUAERENS INTELECTUM

By Leonardus Nana

It is common to find the name of a saint for the name of an organization like school. There are lot of catholic schools take Santa or Santo for their names, for example, they have Saint Gabriel Senior High School, Saint Peter Elementary School or Saint Mary Kindergarten and so forth.

 Fides Quaerens Intelectum sounds strange but when you come to Jalan Eltari Sasi Kefamenanu Timor, East Nusa Tenggara Province, you will find Fides Quaerens Intelectum.

Fides Quaerens Intelectum is a Catholic Senior High School and was built by Pater Antonio Razzoli, OFM.Conv, a missionary from Italy in 2006.

Fides Quaerens Intelectum derived from Latin means Faith to Lead Intellect or knowledge. We do not know the background of choosing Fides Quaerens Intelectum as the name for the school. However, we can learn that school is an institution for educating children. Education means systematic training and instruction by which human can gain skills and knowledge. The skill and knowledge are useful to develop the capacity and capability in order to enhance the qualities of intellectual, moral, mental power and character. Education will give one power and authority to manage himself, his understanding and skills so that his moral and character fit what God requires of him; it is to do good deed.

Education is a part of human life but it is not a product of human. Education is a given; it is a gift from God. God poured this great gift into our hearts because we are his temple. Therefore, we should guard this gift (education) well for it is our lives (read Proverb 4:13b). Why? Education produces you knowledge and this knowledge makes you clever. A clever person has capability and capacity to be certain about what he believes   and consistent in what he says and committed in what he does (Sirach 5:9). This means faith comes after intellect (knowledge), but by faith you can be sure to apply your intellect (knowledge) successfully. When you succeed in applying your knowledge, you will be called a well-educated person for by the faith you have, you can utilize your knowledge to receive not only honor but also you will be made worthy to praise God for the miracles He performs (Sirach 38:6).

We know many people have been talking too much about faith, and knowledge. They also have found out the relationship of faith and knowledge as well. Some experts put faith and intellect (knowledge) in contradistinction. However, the others pointed out the faith is not contrasted with the knowledge.   

David L. Lipe, Ph.D. in FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE (Apologetics Press, Inc) wrote that knowledge and faith are not to be separated; it must be because they are relevant in some way. The intellect (knowledge) and will (faith) are complementary. Knowledge without faith leads to speculation. David L. Lipe, Ph.D added that The Bible clearly teaches that faith and knowledge are not to be set in contradistinction.  Faith and knowledge never are contrasted in the New Testament. Faith is contrasted with sight—not knowledge or reason. He quoted in Hebrews 11:1 we read: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Further, Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” These verses make it clear that faith is set in contrast to “walking by sight.” Sight is a type of sense perception, and therefore a means of attaining knowledge. Thus, faith, instead of being contrasted with knowledge, is contrasted with a means of attaining knowledge.

Additionally, David L. Lipe, Ph.D. in FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE (Apologetics Press, Inc) gave us excellence understanding that Faith and knowledge may have the same object. Consider, for example, the following:

a.       God can be both known and believed. “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me” (Isaiah 43:10).

b.       The truth can be both known and believed. “Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth” (1 Timothy 4:3).

c.        The deity of Christ can be both known and believed. “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living (John 6:69; cf. 4:42).

d.       Jesus said one could know and believe the same thing. “But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him” (John 10:38).

e.        Paul said, “I know whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12).

f.         Knowledge precedes faith. Faith never precedes knowledge but instead is a commitment to knowledge. According to Romans 10:17, faith comes after men have knowledge of the Word of God. For biblical faith, where there is no word, there can be no faith. Where there is no evidence, there can be no faith.

The Faith to Lead The Intellect (Knowledge).

Fides Quaerens Intelectum means Faith to lead Intellect (knowledge). In Hebrews 11:1 we read Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The things hoped for is actually a dream or vision which is a short, succinct, and inspiring statement of what someone intends to become and to achieve at some point in the future.  Everybody must have a dream to become someone one day. The dream must have something interesting and beautiful to be actualized in life. The beauty in his dream will motivate to do something today because he believes he can achieve something in the future.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ever said future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. The beauty of dream is a motivation since there is no one has ever achieved anything without a dream attached to a burning desire. The burning desire requires action and action requires knowledge; however, it is faith that guides us not to use knowledge for speculation. The Faith will lead someone to have true knowledge so that by the true knowledge he could act base on things that are good and that deserve praise; things that are true, noble, right, pure, kind, lovely and honorable (read Philippians 4:8). Then, if someone can do so, he will become excellent and an excellent person is valuable to life, humanity and nation.

For example, someone today is studying in Fides Quaerens Intelectum Senior High School because he believes that this school will shape him to enhance the qualities of intellectual, moral, mental power and character for his future. Therefore, after graduating he will take something to do totally until he achieves his aim or he will take an advanced study like in medical health studies, he then will study on it with faith that he can graduate as a talented doctor.  

Base on the above conception, we can learn that Fides Quaerens Intelectum Senior High School is the good place where students can build their qualities of intellectual, moral, mental power and character for his future. In Fides Quaerens Intelectum Senior High School the learners can learn how to live in community (no student might live out of dormitory), how to begin the day by praising the Lord’s name through daily holy service at church every morning. After morning holy service, the learners come to enjoy class learning in school hours and afternoon study program. Here, they can study with teachers, making discussion, reading in library or doing any science practicum and so forth.

Students can learn many things in Fides Quaerens Intelectum Senior High School and one of their peaks of learning is holding the competition of Debate, Speech and Drama in English, Germany and Bahasa which is followed by all students of Fides Quaerens Intelectum Senior High School. The committee has planned to invite other participants from all senior high school around Kefamenanu city and adjacent. Another peak of learning is holding Fides Volley Ball Championship. This Championship has been followed by all Senior High School Volley Ball Team in Timor Tengah Utara Regency and Niki-Niki of Timor Tengah Selatan Regency. The committee has planned to invite other participants from Belu regency and Malaka regency in the next coming year.

Beside the contest or competition of Bulan Bahasa and Volley Ball championship, students from time to time are required to do any field study. The students are facilitated to make research or observe a certain case of either social or natural phenomena. Students also can visit and learn from any representative objects like Sonaf (traditional palace), Ume Naek (traditional house), and institution of society or government.

The above description let us learn that students of Fides Quaerens Intelectum can learn from many good sources of learning. From those sources of learning, the students know where understanding, strength and insight are to be found. The understanding, the strength and the insight are the true knowledge that empowers learners to enhance capability. When they are capable, they can enlarge capacity to do their works. The learners, then by Faith will claim that they are capable of doing their works because of the capacity they have comes from God (2Corinthians 3:5). The capacity from God is gift to know where to find along and full life; where to find light to guide them and where to find peace (Baruch 3:14).

Knowledge for the prosperity and the honor

Knowledge is for the prosperity and the honor of human, but who gives human knowledge so that they can achieve the prosperity and the honor? When we open the Bible and then we can read “God sends knowledge and understanding like the rain to the dry riverbeds and whoever receives it will prosper.” It was also written “God sends knowledge and understanding like the rain, and increase the honor of those who receive her. (Sirach 1:19).”

The above holy verses make us learn that knowledge is divine and belongs to God. Knowledge is a holy gift that God sent and stored it in human’s mind. God had to send and store the knowledge in human’s mind because the sin had been making their heart and mind like dry riverbeds. It is likewise an area of a farm land but cannot be cultivated. The land is only full of dust and dry grain of sands. No plants can grow on it and no water living things could survive there. However, when the rain falls, the dry riverbed becomes a running brook and a pond is formed. Then, fresh water can be obtained and the living can exist.

The rain is the condensed moisture of atmosphere falling in drop of water. The earth really hopes for this dropped water to make itself a suitable place for the living. The rain that falls on earth is forming stream and whatever plant grows near it will send out its roots to the water. It is not afraid when the hot weather comes because its leaves stay green; it has no worries when there is no rain; it keeps on bearing fruit (Jeremiah 17:8).

A stream and water are important for the living of a tree and on the same way the knowledge and the faith are important for men. Therefore, David L. Lipe, Ph.D, noted that the intellect (knowledge) and will (faith) are complementary. In addition, Knowledge precedes faith. Faith never precedes knowledge but instead is a commitment to knowledge. According to Romans 10:17, faith comes after men have knowledge of the Word of God. For biblical faith, where there is no word, there can be no faith. Where there is no evidence, there can be no faith.

The men could have faith after they have knowledge that it was by the Word of God everything was created and by the same Word they have been assigned to use and control over everything. The men could use and control over everything since God has given them desire (knowledge) to know everything including the future, Ecclesiastes 3: 11a.

What knowledge has been given to men? It is the knowledge contains information, understanding and skill that make one intelligent and skillful to achieve great advancement in science and technology. And faith is the key (confidence) which open doors to scientific and technical knowledge which is needed for the economic and political development of many countries in the world.

Therefore, it is not only knowledge but also faith needed to encourage people that by scientific and technical knowledge they can be able to manage the country, to empower the society, to build the economy and to develop the technology. Therefore, one who has knowledge in faith is not afraid when the crisis come because he will stay firm to use his knowledge for positive purposes only; he has no worries when the worldly people apply their knowledge to concern on worldly matter; because he will exercise his knowledge to do good deed or to concern above everything else with the kingdom of God and with what God requires of him (Mathew 6:33).

However, David L. Lipe, Ph.D also wrote that knowledge without faith leads to speculation. Some people believe if God has given them reasoning power to know everything like the forces of nature, what the world is made of, how the elements behave and the nature of living creatures. In addition, some people also have power to know about the future. The result is people could be able to explore and control over the universe to fulfill their needs.

However, some of them still have great desire to discover the mystery of how the universe and living were created. They deny if God never gives them satisfaction of fully understanding what God does (Ecclesiastes 3: 11). Therefore, some people do not confess the existence of God and try to acknowledge their mind as the source of the absolute power. People speculate with the intelligence of their mind to do all things. Although they can achieve great advancement, all things they do are just for a show and will be wasted for no one is benefiting from the deed they do (Sirach 12:1).

Say for example:

Firstly, people have good advancement in economic science; despite practicing socialism economy, they develop capitalism which makes the rich become richer but the poor become poorer.

Secondly, many inventions were obtained due to the advancement in biology, physic and chemistry and technical studies. For example: the lives of many people are now saved as the result of great achievement in medical technology study. However, we know that in spite of mixing drugs for curing dieses and ease pain, people would love to mix drugs for recreational use (marijuana, ecstasy, and some other additive drugs).

The nuclear is invented to overcome the crisis of energy but certain people wish to apply nuclear energy to make MDW (mass destruction weapon).

The development of Technical knowledge helps people to build certain vehicle like rocket for transporting satellite, but people function it for carrying missile; People sent satellite in to sky for spying purposes instead of for communication purposes and nature observation.

The above examples of misusing science and technology let us learn that intellect without faith will give you opportunities to build up life base on bad reputation. You know, person with bad reputation will never be satisfied with all he earns and achieves. His life is devoted for worldly matter (money) and he therefore, would love to get rich (prosperity) and honor by sinfully chasing after worldly matter (money) (Sirach 5:10 & 31:8).

In addition, knowledge without Faith will give you opportunities to do activities of bad lust (evil). The activities of evil (bad lust) can ruin life, humanity and the world. Therefore, take the faith as the shield of your life and education to guard you against evil (Sirach 4:20). Guard yourself with knowledge, skill and good news that were built on faith only because evil only comes to kill and to destroy.

Knowledge for Every Person

Who can receive the knowledge? Everyone preserves right to receive the knowledge. Where to receive the knowledge? Nobody will come up into sky, or go down to the seabed. Nobody will go across the mighty ocean or come to the remotest part of the earth to receive knowledge. God has put science and knowledge in the heart of every person.

How God stored knowledge (science) up in human’s minds? At first, God equipped human with brain and this brain contains a power that called Mind. Human’s mind riches of intelligence and this intelligence has reasoning power that empowers human to learn, to learn and to learn. Why should people learn? They indeed should learn to devote their time, energy and mind to recognize God’s knowledge, to accept it and to work at it as the Holy Scripture wrote “A Person’s thoughts are like water in the deep well, but someone with insight can draw them out (Proverb 20:5)”.

Thought is a power or process of thinking that enables someone’s mind to think about something; to think about life, humanity and universe. While thinking is the use and exercise of mind in order to form opinions and/or to come to a conclusion of something.

Every person has thoughts but not all people recognize them well; although some people recognize their thoughts, they cannot be able to train and use them properly. Only those who have insight or will for advancement (someone with insight can draw them out) will make efforts to find and to train their thoughts. You know what? Only a well-trained thought functions to give mind power to begin everything in this world (Sirach 37:18b). Therefore, some people are clever and wise but the others are stupid and foolish.

Talking about the power or process of thinking that give mind power to begin something; there are at least three ways the thought use to exercise mind to form opinions and/or to set up a goal.

Firstly, think of something in your mind (set your goal up). For example think of what you are going to be one day; to become a doctor or druggist.

Secondly, exercise your thought to form opinions about the benefit or value you will gain and/or what you will give when you have become someone, like a doctor or druggist and how to accomplish what you are thinking of. This means, you should make plan of how to accomplish your goal as it was written “Planning and thought lie behind everything that is done (Sirach 37:16). Why should planning first? Plan will help one set up priority and priority leads him to work in patient and passion. Patient and passion have a work done carefully and so it will produce plenty as it was written; “Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough (Proverb 21:5).

What and how to do with our planning? Planning is the arrangement for doing our work and this arrangement can help us to do something accurately. This means that by planning we can know if a work is feasible and valuable or not. If the work is unfeasible and invaluable, we may then stop it although it can give big achievement.

However, a well settled plan does not warrant the success of a goal; therefore, we should come to and ask the Lord to bless all our plans and we will be successfully in carrying them out (Proverb 16:3). For God’s blessing could guide us to act in accordance with what we have planned as it was written “you may make your plans, but God directs your actions” (Proverb 16:9).  

Thirdly, we know that every person has been given a great deal of work to do. Sirack 40:1a.” In order to execute the given great deal of work successfully, we should put a plan in a good settlement. Therefore, after the plan is well-resettled, we should work at it with all our hearts as though we were working for the Lord and not for men (Colossians 3: 23).

This means that first, we should accept our goal as a great deal of work to do from God, after that we must fall in love with the work (goal), and then formulate plan how to work at it. Then, we should work at our goal with all our hearts as though we were working for the Lord and not for men base on what we have planned. Finally, a success will be granted for our goal.

When you have been successfully accomplishing the above three steps, you then will become clever and wise because you do not only think what you know but also you know what to do, Proverb 14:8, but one who only thinks what he knows is stupid and foolish.

Say for example: Your goal is want to become a doctor or a druggist, and then you may formulate your plan like the following example:  Leaving your parents for studying in Fides Quaerens Intelectum Senior High School. You must not take Social Sciences for your major but study physic, chemistry and biology in Natural Science Program. After graduating Senior High School, you should enroll to the faculty of pharmacology if you would like to become a druggist or you should study in health and medical study program if you want to become a doctor. If you study hard and do all activities base on what have been programmed, you then will become a professional druggist or medical doctor.   

Likewise another profession, God, The Most High gave doctor or druggist knowledge and skill to do their works. The knowledge and skill give them position of importance and so Kings reward them and powerful people hold them in high regard for knowledge and skill they possess. The druggist and the doctor are two professions which depend on one and another as it was written “The druggist mixes the medicines, and the doctors use them to cure diseases and ease pain (Sirach 38:7)”.

The above descriptions give understanding that God gave human being knowledge and skill. The knowledge and skill enable human to do their works successfully. The harvests of their successful works are prosperity and honor (Sirach 38: 1-8).

How to obtain Knowledge

We are as a Human beings are the weakest creatures in this world, but we finally grow and become the most important and powerful creatures. Because we have been equipped with brain. This brain contains a power that called Mind which riches of intelligence and this intelligence have reasoning power to know everything through learning.

Learning

Learning is an effort to gain knowledge (science) by studying, from experience or from being taught, etc. Learning can be done by everybody at anytime and in any places; Learning can be started at home, in school, from society.  They can learn from themselves, parents, and sister-brother and from the others as it was written “People learn from one another just an iron sharpens iron, Proverb 27:17.

Therefore, learning is not hard and complicated; Learning is simple as it is a trial; a trial is an error; an error is an exposure and an exposure is a retention.

Learning is Trial

In the beginning, Human beings lived by nature and from nature and so all their necessity were obtained from nature. Somehow, they were growing in number and so are their needs like the need for moving. People could mobile from one place to other place on foot, but finally a means of transportation was needed since they had to carry more things to achieve further distance.  They then made trial by arresting horse to ride on for moving or carrying things from one place to another place.

Learning is Error

Many errors were occurred during the trial or experiment of using a horse for transportation. One thing is a horse only carried at much two person and few things. People then, took it as an exposure and learn more for further advancement.

Learning is exposure

Base on the error that one horse only carried at much two person and few things, people then make cart to be pulled by one horse; a cart that pulled by one horse could carry some people and more things. Based on the above achievement, people then made bigger cart to be pulled by several horses and road and bridge were constructed for the safety and the easiness.

Learning is retention

Horse, cart and road and bridge for transportation are good exposure that gave human beings great advancement and they are still used nowadays. Base on the exposure or experience of using a horse for transportation, people of today keep on trial and trial. People finally invented machine to ease their works in many fields.  They have been developing machine to replace the horse. It is now a car, a truck or a lorry used by people for moving or transporting goods from one place to another places. The above achievement is good retention.  

Base on the above explanation, it is obvious that learning is a process of freeing one dependency on others for knowledge, yet during the process of learning, one is never free from what is called error/failure. We must learn from error/failure for error will produce exposure/experience. And that exposure will let us learn how to bounce back from failure. No one ever succeed without failure.

Finally we can conclude that it is the faith to lead the knowledge. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The things hoped for is actually a dream for future motivation. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ever said future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. This means no one has ever achieved anything without a dream attached to a burning desire. The burning desire requires knowledge, however, it is faith that guides us not to use knowledge for speculation. Faith will become foundation for true knowledge which enables us becoming valuable to life, humanity and nation.