anscombe on faith

In 1975 Anscombe talked of faith qua taking what someone says for true. Jones, a friend, writes to say his wife died. We believe him. In believing him, Anscombe says, we *presuppose* that he exists; it's a *conviction* or *assumption* we have. This strikes me as wrong.

I don't mean we could believe him whilst yet disbelieving or doubting his existence. I do mean that it's not clear what sense "doubting Jones' existence" (and therefore, believing that he exists too) would have here (vide On Certainty).

I might, *in certain circumstances*, muster a genuine doubt that this letter was from him, or believe he died after posting it. Or Jones may, as Anscombe later suggests, be a stooge: a bunch of friends were all along masquerading as a pen friend. But to consider this is to change the subject.

Now Anscombe is obviously talking about religious faith. To have faith, I think she says, is to trust that what's written or spoken or heard within comes from God and so also to believe it.

I will own that I find it hard to know what to make both of the idea that one could really *believe* one's friend Jones exists and of the idea that one could believe or doubt that the ground of being, being itself, truth and love itself, the logos, exists.

Atheism and theism, if that's its opposite, look equally mad. But what then is faith? It is at least to not suffer the meaningless doubt that God exists; it is at least to not go spiritually cold; it is at least to live trustingly in Him; it is at least to heed His word.

(A little note for further development - from a thread of Bluesky posts: 19,2,2025)