In the realm of belief there is no straightforward way of distinguishing between truth and error. There is no simple test that can establish to everyone's satisfaction either the reality or the unreality of God. The criteria begin to sort themselves out in the process of exploration.
Belief is encounter with what is real and true.
It helps us to respond to the actual world we inhabit and to the particular cultural setting we find ourselves in. It situates us in a world of openness and possibility. The criteria for belief provide an understanding of salvation. A belief that does all the things our criteria suggest is a belief that heals and saves us.