Tacitus, an excellent book to read on this subject, or rather, the roots of this subject, is Mortimer Adler's "Ten Philosophical Mistakes." In one chapter, he deals with the "idea" that the only valid way to truth was through science, history, math, etc., while anything philosophical, theological or spiritual is relegated to "mere opinion." Thus, "faith" is pitted against reason. The version you cited is a straw man argument. Faith is NOT belief unsupported by evidence, but merely being persuaded that something is true. Faith may be persuaded by evidence, scientific or otherwise, or by insanity, or anything in between. Faith may be directed towards truth or falsehood (communists place an awful lot of faith in government, for instance
Vatican City -- In an election season in which the White House has instituted a policy that puts unprecedented limits on the constitutional right to freedom of religion, questions of conscience, duty and spiritual and moral obligation are of critical importance.
A conference at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences had some related thoughts and warnings. The Vatican think tank was founded in 1994 and is meant to facilitate a continuing dialogue between faith and reason, between the social sciences and the social thought of the Church.
To an American sitting in on the conference, some of its sessions amounted to...
Adler is not too convincing on that.