Faith, Hope and Love

Jaroslav Pelikan, Yale Sterling professor of history, wrote a 5 volume history about the development of Christian doctrine, over the centuries.

Pelikan does something which amazed me. He quotes Paul's famous words, "faith hope, and love, but of these three, the greatest is LOVE", and then Pelikan talks of faith in terms, not of Paul's HOPE and confidence, but in the sense of doctrinal creed. In this way, Pelikan suggests that love is more important that doctrine. The Greeks recite the "Symvolon tees Pisteos", which means, "The Symbol of Faith", but it has to do with what specifically is believed:

I believe in one God, Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of everything visible and invisible. And in One Lord, Jesus Christ, Only begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages.... (and it goes on, I am doing this from memory.)

I believe there are people who live wonderful, saintly lives, outside of any organized religion. And I believe that there are many people who are outspoken believers of some particular creed or denomination, who are utter wretches and hypocrites.