According to this Catholic Encyclopedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06068b.htm fideism is a heresy.  Fideism is defined as: A philosophical term meaning a system of philosophy or an attitude of mind, which, denying the power of unaided human reason to reach certitude, affirms that the fundamental act of human knowledge consists in an act of faith, and the supreme criterion of certitude is authority. A philosophical term meaning a system of philosophy or an attitude of mind, which, denying the power of unaided human reason to reach certitude, affirms that the fundamental act of human knowledge consists in an act of faith, and the supreme criterion of certitude is authority. But I talked to one lapsed Catholic and she seemed to believe that fideism was what she was taught in the Catholic Church. According to this encyclopedia entry (1) a good Catholic is suppose to believe in God because His existence is proved using reason (2) Believing on faith alone is a no-no and a dumb idea since it is really just boils down to belief _base_d on arbitrary authority. Is this encyclopedia correct about the nature of Catholic teachings on fideism. Interesting, the encyclopedia fits somewhat with the fact that most people who believe in God _base_ their belief on either a direct experience with God or on what they consider proof like the need for a first cause.  (from a poll reported in the book Why We Believe by Shermer)

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06068b.htm fideism is a heresy.  Fideism is defined as: A philosophical term meaning a system of philosophy or an attitude of mind, which, denying the power of unaided human reason to reach certitude, affirms that the fundamental act of human knowledge consists in an act of faith, and the supreme criterion of certitude is authority. A philosophical term meaning a system of philosophy or an attitude of mind, which, denying the power of unaided human reason to reach certitude, affirms that the fundamental act of human knowledge consists in an act of faith, and the supreme criterion of certitude is authority. But I talked to one lapsed Catholic and she seemed to believe that fideism was what she was taught in the Catholic Church. According to this encyclopedia entry (1) a good Catholic is suppose to believe in God because His existence is proved using reason (2) Believing on faith alone is a no-no and a dumb idea since it is really just boils down to belief _base_d on arbitrary authority. Is this encyclopedia correct about the nature of Catholic teachings on fideism. Interesting, the encyclopedia fits somewhat with the fact that most people who believe in God _base_ their belief on either a direct experience with God or on what they consider proof like the need for a first cause.  (from a poll reported in the book Why We Believe by Shermer) In a way they are both wrong. Faith without Reason is wrong...Reason without Faith is wrong. As John Paul II said in Fides et Ratio. Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rised to the contemplation of truth, and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth-in a word, to know hiumself-so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves. Are there priests who tend to promote one or the other a bit too much. Arguably,yes. And it will very depending on the culture. At the huge risk of generalisation..Northern cultures tend to be long on reason and short on faith while Southern cultures tend to the reverse. If that helps dnp bardi

According to this Catholic Encyclopedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06068b.htm fideism is a heresy. Don't use the on-line Catholic Encyclopedia as your only source for things Catholic.  The edition on the Internet dates from before WW I, when Catholics were most concerned about Modernism and the threat of Protestants.  Lots happened since then, including two world wars and outbreaks of terrorism where we discovered who we REALLY need to be concerned about....  And it isn't minutae of theology.