Expert: Maria - 8/29/2006

Question
i have a quick question with the word faith.

i am looking for the religious usage of the word. I have found FIDES, but have been told that it isn't meant to be used in religious terms. so what would be the correct translation in the religious sense of the word?

Thank you very much..

Anthony

Answer
Hello,

Actually in classical Latin the feminine noun FIDES(5th.declension)  means “trust”(in a person or thing), “confidence”, “reliance”, “credence”,  “belief”, also  “faith”, but not in a religious sense.

In fact in classical Latin there is another term meaning FAITH in the religious sense.  
It is RELIGIO (3rd.declension) which means exactly “faith”, “religious belief”, “reverence for the gods”.
This noun in the nominative plural, RELIGIONES, means “religious system”, “mode of worship”, “cult”, i.e. the entire system of religion and worship, also called
“res divinae” or “res sacrae”(literally, 'sacred things').

It was only in later Latin, i.e. from the 3rd.century AD, that the term FIDES began to  have the meaning of  ‘religious faith’ in the sense we use it
[ see “Christiana fides”, i.e. ‘Christian faith ‘, as we read in the Fathers of the Church, collective name for the Christian writers of early times ].

To conclude, the correct translation of FAITH depends on the context where you want to use it: if this context is in classical Latin, you must use RELIGIO ( and its declension); if on the contrary the context refers to late / ecclesiastical Latin, you can use FIDES  and its declension of course, as Latin is an inflected language, as you know.

Hope all is clear enough. Feel free however to ask me again.

Best,
Maria