Sword of Spirit
Legend
Defining faith as different from belief is nonsense in my opinion. As [MENTION=4937]Celebrim[/MENTION] noted, the word faith has come to have variable connotations in modern usage, but I don't think there is really any substantial difference between the meanings of the terms that is useful for D&D purposes.
All belief is based on some sort of evidence, and we act on our beliefs constantly. We eat because we feel hungry and we believe we will feel less hungry if we eat something. In D&D it's no different. People see divine power exercised, and they act based on that. The less clear those manifestation are, the more disagreement there is over what they mean and how to act upon them. I really feel like we basically get into discussions about nothing when we start talking about faith in the context of D&D religion.
1) What do people think are the results of their actions with regards to the gods?
2) How devoted is a person to their gods?
3) Is there any necessary connection between 1 and 2?
Those questions are more relevant.
All belief is based on some sort of evidence, and we act on our beliefs constantly. We eat because we feel hungry and we believe we will feel less hungry if we eat something. In D&D it's no different. People see divine power exercised, and they act based on that. The less clear those manifestation are, the more disagreement there is over what they mean and how to act upon them. I really feel like we basically get into discussions about nothing when we start talking about faith in the context of D&D religion.
1) What do people think are the results of their actions with regards to the gods?
2) How devoted is a person to their gods?
3) Is there any necessary connection between 1 and 2?
Those questions are more relevant.