The Archaeology of Faith: A Personal Exploration of How We Come to Believe

In The Archeology of Faith, Fr. Louis Cameli digs into his ancestry to uncover the source of his own faith and invites believers and seekers alike to examine their own faith in the context of history and within the community of the Church. Tracing the evolution of faith beginning from pre-Christian times in his ancestral village of Grottamare on Italy’s Adriatic coast, Cameli saw how faith intersects with the most basic predicaments of life. While studying the rise of monasticism, he learned that faith is lived in community. As he looked at the medieval raids of Saracen pirates, Cameli found a sense of living with vulnerability. Finally, he realised that trust in God was modeled for him by the same relatives who farm the same land today as their ancestors. As he studied the rich complexity of faith in his family history, Cameli reflected on his own life, his vocation, and the personal challenges that his beliefs pose.