Stages of Faith

Describe the main characteristics of mature faith.

Mature faith

• People of mature faith have a very close relationship with God.
• Deep inner faith and trust in God.
• Active commitment to God and to their faith.
• Follow the teachings of Jesus and love God and their neighbours.
• They trust in the goodness of God.
• Believe that mystery is a part of life.
• They know that the world is full of inequality and injustice.

Describe two characteristics that are typical of a child's faith

• Children have a very definite image of God.
• They also have a very active imagination.
• It makes sense for children that God must be very old, from the stories that they have heard from their parents and teachers.
• Children trust people who are good to them, such as their parents.
• They learn to trust God who is both very good and very powerful.
• Children learn to trust God i the same way they trust good people around them.
• Their image of God is based on their experience.
• It's also based on their ability to think about things in a concrete and matter of fact manner.

Examine the role that trust can play in the development of a person's faith.

• Trust refers to being able to rely on a person with complete confidence.
• Children have a very simple trust in God and an acceptance of one's parents' faith.
• They base their beliefs on the stories that they are told about God.
• They are told to trust those that are good to them such as their parents.
• They are always told that God is good.
• As children grow older, adolescents have a more doubtful trust in God because this is a time when a questioning spirit arises.

Choose two of the following: family, friends, media and school and explain how each can influence the religious beliefs of a teenager.

Family

• Parents may encourage or discourage religion at home.
• If parents pray, mention God and attend religious services their children, teenagers, amy do the same.
• Friends.
• Peers' influence is strong in adolescents' lives.
• Young people value the opinions of their friends and seek approval of their friends.
• This can lead to peers sharing a similar outlook on religious belief with their friends.

Media

• The influence of media may change the perspective a teenager has on their beliefs.
• Media encourages materialism; that only material things matter in life.
• This may change the values and behaviours of teenagers.