Faith and Transformation Across Spiritual Traditions

On our paths to sustained sobriety we develop a faith which many see as the cornerstone of recovery. Whether walking an Eastern path of spiritual development, navigating a 12-Step program, deepening a relationship with God in a Western tradition, or taking an Interspiritual path recognizing the truths across a variety of traditions, faith plays a critical role in the transformations we undergo. Yet, the nature of faith differs across these traditions. We’ll explore the Buddhist concept of faith: shraddha, the faith developed through overcoming alcoholism or addiction, and the transformative power of faith in Christianity. We’ll see how, despite differences in beliefs, faith grows as a result of overcoming difficulty in all three contexts.

Shraddha: Faith Through Personal Transformation

In Buddhism, the term shraddha is often translated as "faith" or "trust." However, unlike the faith in theistic traditions, shraddha is not about belief or trust in a deity. Instead, it is a confidence that arises from personal experience and transformation. In Buddhism, faith develops gradually as we confront and overcome personal suffering and our trust in the teachings of the Buddha deepens. Shraddha is an evolving faith, based not on a system of belief but on the direct experience of transformation. Over time, we witness a reduction in attachment and suffering as we cultivate wisdom and compassion. Faith, in this context, is about trusting the process and the path itself.

Faith in the Steps: Transforming Through Surrender

For individuals overcoming alcoholism or other addictions, faith can be a pivotal element of recovery. The 12 steps offer a path to sobriety that hinges on both personal responsibility and spiritual growth. One of the core tenets of 'the steps' is the acknowledgment of powerlessness over alcohol (or other substances or behaviors) and the need to turn one's life over to the care of a Higher Power. The nature of this Higher Power is left undefined intentionally, allowing each individual to realize their own concept based on personal beliefs and their own experience.

As in Buddhism, faith in 'the 12 steps' is experiential. It does not grow from doctrine but rather through an individual’s own experience in the steps, which include taking moral inventory, making amends, and growing or improving conscious contact with a Higher Power. Through this process, many individuals experience spiritual awakening and transformation, deepening their faith in the program and their ability to maintain sobriety. The journey is one of surrender—admitting powerlessness and finding strength through reliance on a Higher Power.

Christian Faith: Trust in God Through Trials

In Christianity, faith is central to the relationship between the individual and God. Christian faith is often understood as trust in God's grace and plan, particularly as exemplified in Jesus. This faith can be a response to divine revelation or a gift from God, but it also grows through the individual's experience of overcoming challenges and suffering.

Christians often speak of trials as opportunities to deepen their faith. The Bible frequently references the idea that suffering refines and strengthens faith, as seen in passages like James 1:2-4: "Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." In this way, overcoming difficulty can serve as a pathway to a closer relationship with God. Like shraddha in Buddhism and the faith developed through the 12 steps, Christian faith is strengthened through experience, surrender, and transformation.

Common Threads: Faith as Experience and Surrender

While Buddhism, the 12 steps, and Christianity approach faith differently, there are striking similarities in how faith grows through overcoming suffering.

Element	Buddhist Shraddha	Faith in The Steps	Christian Faith
Faith as Experience	Arises from personal transformation through consistent practice and as a result overcoming a challenge or set of challenges.	Developed through working the 12 Steps and a personal recovery experience.	Strengthened through the trials of life and a relationship with God.
Role of Surrender	Surrender (or letting go) of attachments and surrendering to the concepts of Impermanence and an No Independent Self.	Surrender our will in exchange for a will guided by a higher power, acknowledging powerlessness over alcohol and other substances or behaviors.	Surrender to God's will and divine grace.
Spiritual Growth	Growth in wisdom, compassion, and understanding.	Growth in a personal relationship with a Higher Power that gives us strength and relieves the obession to drink or use.	Growth in a deeper communion with God.
Overcoming Difficulty	Confronts suffering and ignorance in order to transform the practitioner.	Confronts addiction, self-delusion, and destructive behavior.	Endures trials to build a more profound trust in God.

Faith as a Transformative Force

In Buddhism, the 12 steps, and Christianity, faith is not something static or unchanging. It is a force in motion that evolves through personal experience and overcoming difficulties. Whether it's the Buddhist shraddha that arises from walking the path and realizing the truth of suffering, the faith in 'the steps' that grows through the process of recovery, or the Christian faith that deepens through trials and surrender to God, faith serves as a guiding light for transformation.

In each of these traditions, faith is not a blind faith but one rooted in the personal experience of the individual.