We’re so excited to share a conversation that our friend and Executive Director, Zach Davis, had with Teresa Morgan, Professor at Yale Divinity School and a leading scholar of early Christian history.
Today, Teresa invites us to reconsider one of the most central words in Christianity: faith. She explains that for the first generations of Christians, “faith” didn’t mean signing on to a list of beliefs. It meant something more like trust—faithfulness, trustworthiness, the act of entrusting your life to God. Faith was less about what you thought and more about the kind of relationship you were living: a daily, embodied trust in a faithful God.
But over time, as outside pressures mounted, Christian leaders drew clearer boundaries around belief. Creeds became markers of belonging, and faith—once rooted primarily in trust and lived allegiance—was increasingly defined by agreement with specific doctrines. That shift has shaped the Christian imagination ever since.
In this conversation, Zach and Teresa explore how that evolution happened, what may have been lost, and what it might look like to recover a richer, more relational vision of faith today.
We also want to mention that this interview is featured in the upcoming Issue 7 of Wayfare, and that this is a special edition centering women’s voices on the theme of trust—trust in God, in ourselves, and in our communities. It’s a beautiful and thoughtful collection that we are really proud of. You can read the adapted transcript of this interview, and see the artwork that will accompany it in the magazine, in a special preview on WayfareMagazine.org.
If you’d like to receive your own copy of Wayfare in the mail, you can become a Friend of Faith Matters or a paid Wayfare subscriber by March 31. Your support is what makes conversations like this possible, and we’re so grateful.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
STUDY “COME FOLLOW ME” WITH FAITH MATTERS
What do we make of the story of Abraham and Isaac? Of Hagar? Of Sodom and Gomorrah?
What is the story of Abraham and Isaac really about? What does it reveal about God? What about when our promised blessings never come, and God is silent? What does it mean to "flee wickedness" and "never look back"? What do we make of "Abrahamic tests"? Is there a healthy way to think about "obedience"? How do we deal with hard, challenging stories in the Bible?
What matters most?
What lessons might we learn from Jacob's vision of a ladder to heaven? How might we think and talk about covenants? What does it mean to value eternal things over worldly things? How can we find healing in our relationships?
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NEW EPISODE OF SANCTUARY
SUBMIT YOUR ARTWORK
The Compass Gallery invites artists of all faiths and spiritual traditions to submit work for a special interfaith feature at the Salt Lake Art Show this May. Share art that explores belief, devotion, mystery, or the search for meaning across traditions and perspectives. Submissions are due April 15 — we can’t wait to see what you bring to the conversation!
