Nicole Irvin

Faith, Religion, & Society

Faith Analysis/Reflection Essay

The Development of Man

Phases/Stages
The first thing I would like to touch on is in the book “Man’s Search for Meaning”,
Viktor Frankl describes three phases a prisoner experiences in a concentration camp: the period
after arriving, the period of camp routine, and the period following his release. After arriving at
camp, prisoners with strong faith believed this experience wouldn’t be so bad and clung to
optimism. Inmates had the illusion they would be reprieved. In the second phase, apathy was a
common emotion among most. In my opinion, when you experience the same thing over and
over you become hardened. For example, the men in the concentration camp experienced
beatings, death, and disease every single day. The prisoners did not agree with this way of life,
but in order to survive they had to numb themselves to the evil around them. Lastly, after the
release of inmates can be described as liberating.
The book titled “Faith, Religion, and Theology” by Brennan Hill et al., describes human
development and the growth of faith in phases also. The different phases being childhood,
adolescent, young adult, middle age, and elderly. In each of these stages one experiences changes
in faith and beliefs. Although, Frankl’s and Hill’s phases are different, this is an example of how
human development and growth of faith can vary depending on the situation.

Human Faith
Throughout Frankl’s time in the concentration camp, prisoners, wardens, and guards
came to have strong beliefs in him. They looked to Frankl advice, comfort, and encouragement.
On night a wise warden pointed to Frankl to give words of hope to the camp. Frankl started by
saying as long as they were still alive they all had reason for hope. It was possible to achieve
things again such as happiness, health, and family. Frankl quoted Nietzsche: “That which does
not kill me, makes me stronger” (pg. 82). He also spoke of what gives life meaning, this could
include suffering, deprivation, and death. In all the hopelessness surrounding the camp everyone
needed to rely on their faith and beliefs. Remembering in difficult hours even though they cannot
physically see their wife, friends, or God, they needed to have faith they were looking down on
them. Lastly, he spoke of sacrifice, sharing a story of a fellow comrade upon their arrival to the
camp. This comrade wanted to save a loved one from a painful end by sacrificing himself
through suffering and death. The comrade wanted his life to have meaning and to not die in vain.
Frankl gave the men in the camp hope and meaning to their suffering. The men grew to have
human faith and strong beliefs in the words spoken by Frankl.
In the story of Vincent de Paul, he served God by spreading the Gospel and helping many
in times of need. After realizing many poor folks lacked knowledge of religion he started to
preach a sermon in a village chapel. In attending the sermon’s, villagers began trusting Vincent
building human faith in him. The sermon created an overwhelming response and people would
stand in line for hours to make their confession. Achieving human faith in Vincent, allowed
villagers to satisfy their need for the Gospel and establish their own beliefs in Christian faith.
In the story of Elizabeth Seton she was also able to find trust in herself and trust in others.
This allowed her to have strong support systems and close friends. Elizabeth established a close
relationship with her husband’s sister Rebecca, who she deemed as her “soul sister”.  Together,
they developed a strong human faith in one another.
These three stories are examples of how human faith can be found in many different
circumstances. In a dire situation such as a concentration camp, Frankl gave the prisoners the gift
of human faith not only in himself but in one another. Vincent de Paul helped the poor gain
knowledge and build trust in him. On a personal level, Elizabeth Seton built human trust in
family.

The Mind
Throughout Frankl’s story, many of his comrades mentally shut down, losing the will to
live and giving up faith in their strength to carry on. The thought of suicide was common
amongst the prisoners amid hopelessness. Many debated touching an electrically charged barbed-
wire fence because they were unable to get past being a slave to their own head. The men lacked
faith (human and religious) and lost the ability to find inner peace and spiritual freedom.
In the transcript “This is Water”, David Wallace states, “the mind being an excellent
servant but a terrible master” (pg. 3). Most of us go through life being a slave to our head and
operating on default settings. According to Wallace, we need to take control and learn how to
think. The men in the concentration camps were unable to shut down default settings and control
their mind in a way that would help them find peace on a higher level.
Similarities also existed in how Frankl describe the second phase of life in the
concentration camp as the period of camp routine. In this stage most prisoners experienced
apathy and continued the same motions day in and day out. Wallace also spoke of routine in the
average adult life. The same cycle every day; working, shopping, cooking, and sleeping.
Everyone being stuck in the same meaningless routine.

Faith is Seldom Certain

Even though we make decisions every day to continue faith in someone or something, we
do this with no absolute certainty. In the book, “Faith, Religion, & Theology”, Hill states that
having faith is “without seeing”. In the book, “Man’s Search for Meaning” Frankl told a story
about a senior block warden who had a dream predicting their freedom. The senior block warden
had faith the prophecy was true and believed he would soon be liberated and free from suffering.
After receiving no such freedom, the warden lost all faith and hope. With the warden losing his
will to live, he lowered his immunity resulting in illness. His body fell victim to the illness and
would no longer have to endure suffering. The strange thing is, the prophecy of this man’s fate
was correct. The warden was now liberated and free of suffering, just not in the way he thought.

Horizon Experiences
In the book, “Faith, Religion, & Theology”, Hill explains horizon experiences as human
experiences in that we can get a glimpse of God. In the book “Man’s Search for Meaning”, I
believe Frankl has a horizon experience thinking of his wife. He would look at the stars in the
sky imaging his wife’s image and seeing her smile at him. Frankl believed love as the highest
goal anyone can aspire. He finally understood how someone who had nothing left in the world
still could find ecstasy—even for a brief moment. Frankl found these moments through
thinking and talking to his wife. His love for her allowed spiritual freedom and the ability to
achieve a high level of consciousness.
The young woman Frankl encounters also had a horizon experience while talking to a
tree. The tree gave her faith even though she knew she would die within the next few days. She
saw glimpses of God when the tree talked to her saying, “I am here—I am life—eternal life” (pg.
69).

Meaning of Life
I think Frankl states it best when he says, “The salvation of man is through love and in
love” (pg. 37). This type of love goes beyond knowing if someone is still alive or dead, this is
found in your inner self. Even in his darkest days, clinging to the image of his wife allowed him
to still have faith and go to a higher place spiritually.
In the story of Elizabeth, even in her darkest days her faith and love for God is what
helped her continue. When she felt abandoned by her father, she received comfort through her
relationship with God. After experiencing the Catholic faith, Elizabeth began questioning her
existing faith resulting in uncertainty. She prayed to God trusting he would give her courage and
ease her doubts. Even with the loss of her children, Elizabeth believed it as a part of God’s plan.
Elizabeth may have questioned certain aspects of faith or beliefs but I feel her faith in God is
what kept her going through the most devastating times.
Even in my search for my biological mother, it was the unconditional love of my family
and friends that helped me get through the darkest days. There is one thing that comes across all
our realities—that’s love.