Faith & Reason

I need to do some reading on this topic, but I've been wondering about the relationship of faith and reason.  It seems to me that many liberal theologians and preachers (at least, those with which I am familiar) are able to translate faith into the language of reason or philosophy.  But I wonder, is there anything unreasonable, irrational about faith?  Are there elements of our faith and tradition that cannot be translated into the idiom of our times or the strictures of academia?

I ask this question because if everything in the faith can be translated into the language of reason, what is the point of faith?  I don't want to be an unintelligent, anti-intellectual, "The Bible says it so it is true" kind of guy, but I'm not sure that I want to allow my faith and tradition to be reduced and redefined by academic disciplines either.  Where is that line, or how wide is that gray area, that seperates faith from reason?  What do we accept "on faith," and what do we subject to the rigors of historical criticism?

Oh, and I'm preaching on our friend Doubting Thomas on the Second Sunday of Easter.  Like Thomas, I'd like something to touch, something beyond reason, something beyond myself, something utterly real. 

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief (Mark 9:24).