THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
Nevertheless, the repentance which prepares the way for faith is neither a perfect knowledge of sin nor a complete deliverance from it. It is only a longing for justification. It is therefore true that repentance, without which faith of salvation does not come into existence, becomes an accomplished fact only with that faith. The division of the uniform function of faith into the three acts of notitia, assensus, and fiducia is misleading, if it is to be understood as rational explanation of the origin of faith. Notitia and assensus have to do with; religious faith only if they are included in fiducia. It is self-evident, of course, that trust of salvation can not originate without hearing of the message of salvation, but the assensus as a certain conviction of the power of redemption of Christ and of the reality of a transcendent God can take place only in and with fiducia. All certainty and knowledge of God and divine things has its origin in fiducia. To this certainty which faith gives, belongs before everything that trusting certainty of one's personal salvation which the Reformation opposed to the uncertainty of salvation as taught by the medieval Church and the Council of Trent. It is upheld by the testimony of the Spirit; i.e., by the inwardly experienced union with Christ and God. But in this communion with God there is at the same time the source of a new moral activity. There is no appropriation of the divine grace of salvation which does not include the appropriation of the holy will of God; but even as the principle of Christian morality, faith does not lose its receptive character. The will to do good does not originate from a power which faith possesses in itself, but from the power which it continually receives from its union with Christ. On the same basis there arises for the Christian finally the knowledge of faith which is distinguished from other knowledge in so far as it presupposes the individually conditioned experience of salvation and in so far as it is the perception of existing reality in the light of the transcendent knowledge of God, a perception sub specie aternitatis. As knowledge of faith has been acquired at the highest summit attainable to man, it must necessarily decide before everything his view of the world, although it is true that its connection with the knowledge of the world presents special difficulties on account of its different origin and point of view; nevertheless, it is the indispensable task of Christian theology to find the right method for a harmony. (O. Kirn.)
Bibliography. A large literature in English is indicated in J. F. Hurst, Literature of Theology, pp. 706-707, New York, 1896. On the New Testament idea consult: A. Schlatter, Der Glaube im N. T., Stuttgart, 1896; F. C. Baur, Paulus, ii., part i., chap. 4, Stuttgart, 1845, Eng. transl., Paul the Apostle, London, 1875 (not to be neglected); O. Pfleiderer, Paulinismus, part i., chap, iv., Leipsic, 1873, Eng. transl., Paulinism, London, 1877; and the works on N. T. theology by Weiss, Beyschlag, and Gould mentioned in or under Biblical Theology.
For faith as a theological concept consult: T. C. Uphara. The Life of Faith, Boston, 1845; J. Muller, Dogmatische Abhandlungen, Bremen, 1870; J. H. Newman, Grammar of Assent, London, 1870; H. Wace, The Foundations of Faith, ib. 1880; J. Kaftan, Glaube und Dogma, Bielefeld, 1889, idem, Truth of the Christian Religion, vol. ii., London, 1893; A. Ritschl, Fides implicita, Bonn,
1890; A. Harnack, in Zeitschrift fur Theologie und Kirche i (1891), 82 sqq.; F. E. Konig, Der Glaubensakt der Christen, Leipsic, 1891; P. Strutt, The Nature of Faith, London, 1891; J. Kostlin, Die Begriindung unserer sittlichreligibsen Ueberzeugung, Berlin, 1893; idem, Der Glaube und seine Bedeutung fur Erkenntniss, Leben und Kirche ib. 1895; J. Haussleiter, Greifswalder Studien, pp. 159 sqq., Greifswald, 1895; K. Thieme, Die sittliche Triebkraft des Glaubens, Leipsic, 1895; G. Vorbrodt, Psycholoqie des Glaubens, Gottingen, 1895; M. Kahler, Der soge- J^ vannte historische Jesus und der geschichtliche, bibluche Jesus, Leipsic, 1896; F. Sieffert, Die neuesten theologischen Forschungen uber Busse und Glaube, Berlin 1896; W. James, The Will to Believe, New York, 1897- M. Reischle, in Zeitschrift fiir Theologie und Kirche, vi (1897), iii.: idem, Christliche Glaubenslehre, Halle, 1902- W Bright, The Law of Faith, London, 1899; G. A. Gordon, Ultimate Conceptions of Faith, Boston, 1903; A. C A. Hall, Relations of Faith and Life, London, 1905- W Schmidt, Moderne Theologie des alten Glaubens, Giitersloh 1906; and the literature under Dogma, Dogmatics.
FAITH, RULE OF. See Regula Fidei.
FAKIR. See Hinduism, I, § 1.
FALASHAS. See Abyssinia and the Abyssinian Church, §§ 1, 7.
FALCONER, ROBERT ALEXANDER: Presbyterian; b. at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Feb. 10, 1867. He studied in London (B.A., 188$), Edinburgh (M.A., 1889; B.D., 1892), Berlin, Leipsic, and Marburg, and since 1892 has been connected with the Presbyterian College, Halifax, Nova Scotia, as lecturer in New Testament exegesis (1892-95), professor of the same subject (1895-1904) and principal (since 1904). He has written The Truth oj the Apostolic Gospel (New York, 1904).
FALCONIO, DIOMEDE: Roman Catholic archbishop and apostolic delegate; b. at Pescocostanzo (73 m. n. of Naples), Italy, Sept. 20, 1S42. He entered the Franciscan Order in 1860, and five years later was sent to the United States as missionary. In 1866 he was ordained priest, and was professor of philosophy and vice-president of St. Bonaventure's College, Alleghany, Pa. (1866), professor of theology and secretary of the Franciscan Province of the Immaculate Conception (1867), and president of the College and Seminary of St. Bonaventure (1868-71). He was secretary and administrator of the cathedral at Harbor Grace, N. F., 1871-82, and after a year in the United States returned to Italy and was elected provincial of the Franciscans in the Abruzzi. He was later reelected, and in 1888 was commissary and visitor-general for the province of Puglia, becoming in 1889 synodal examiner for the diocese of Aquila and commissary and visitor-general for the Franciscan province of Puglia. He was procurator-general of his order and visitor-general in various Franciscan provinces from 1889 to 1892, when he was consecrated titular bishop of Lacedonia, being elevated, three years later, to be archbishop of Acerenza and Matera in Basilicata. He was Apostolic Delegate to Canada 1899-1902, and since 1902 has been apostolic delegate to the United States.
FALK, folk, JOHANNES DANIEL: German philanthropist; b. at Danzig Oct. 28,170S; d. at Weimar Feb. 14, 1826. He was the son of a wigmaker who belonged to the Reformed Church, and