Taking design on faith

Defining a new era of faith-based design

When Immanuel Kant was unable to justify the existence of God with reason, he said that you must have faith that God exists.

“I had to deny knowledge in order to make room for faith.”
—Immanuel Kant

Faith is a powerful conclusion for Kant. So powerful that it can be a tenuous bridge to his higher power, to a greater moral authority. Yet, I rarely hear designers talk about faith. I am not speaking about faith in a higher power, as Kant was. I am talking about a heartfelt belief in the power of creativity, an unflinching belief that through our creative powers we can solve problems–big and small.

And I might offer, designers are uniquely able to leverage faith in their work. All creative work is, in fact, a leap of faith on some level. We have faith that we will produce a worthy solution, one that elevates and solves the problem at hand. We have faith that our solution will be original. We have faith that we will convince the client that we have succeeded, and in turn, they have succeeded.

Sometimes, faith takes the form of optimism. Sometimes, faith takes the form of confidence. Regardless of its form, it is powerful. It is necessary. It is the timeless tool of all creatives.

Yet, it gets no play, no airtime. Why?

I suppose the answer is obvious. Faith is terrifying. It is the last resort. Kant would have happily accepted the cool comfort of reason, in lieu of faith. He only resigned himself to faith when reason was exhausted. He literally had to “deny knowledge” to make room for faith. But, unlike Kant, we aren’t caught in the craw of modern philosophy. We have options.

Faith can be a powerful ally, and I see our faith as a beginning, not an end. Our faith is rooted in the heritage of the people who have paved the way for us. If they did it, so can we. Our faith is bolstered by our peers and colleagues, who act and succeed everyday. Our faith is manifest in the moment. Our faith is documented in the works of art and design that inspire us to greater heights. Our faith is real.

And yes, it is still terrifying. Sometimes, potent forces are terrifying.

It’s our job to make that terror electrifying. It’s our job to view the unknown as unfettered opportunity, not a chasm from which we might not return. For if we have faith, who knows what we might achieve.