I do not purpose to discuss faith in its dogmatic sense today.

Simpson’s sentence functions as a rhetorical boundary-setting typical of sermon and lecture openings: he signals that “faith” will not be treated as a matter of formal doctrine, creeds, or theological controversy (“dogmatic sense”), but in some other register—often practical, experiential, moral, or pastoral. The phrasing suggests an audience that might expect doctrinal argument, and a speaker who wants to redirect attention to lived religion: how faith operates in character, conduct, consolation, or spiritual experience. The line also implies an ecumenical or inclusive posture, inviting hearers who may differ on dogma to consider a shared, non-sectarian dimension of faith.