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A Thoughtful Faith: Essays on Belief by Mormon Scholars
A Thoughtful Essays on belief by Mormon scholars
310 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 18, 2023
This is out of print, but it is a treasure. Decades old but timeless. It showed up for me at the perfect time. Each essay a thoughtful balance between the intellect and the soul.
September 24, 2019
I thought this book was incredible. There were a couple essays that didn’t really resonate with me, but overall I found the content to be helpful, insightful, and uplifting. Even though it’s an older book, I thought it was still very relevant for today. It’s a shame that it’s out-of-print, as much of the content could be helpful and comforting to anyone who has questions or feels they don’t quite belong in the Church.
April 13, 2025
Growing up, I got the impression that anyone who was faithful in the Church had to believe "without a shadow of a doubt." Any story about someone doubting usually ended with them "falling away." It wasn't until the 2010s that the internet made it more obvious to me how many members have questions and doubts, but it also showed me that a significant portion of them choose to stay.
This book is by people with a wide range of certainty in their beliefs. Some have had miraculous, near-death experiences, while others have used logic to decide that the Church of Jesus Christ is the best place for them. The very first essay was Richard D. Poll's comparison of people's testimonies to Liahonas or Iron Rods. Other than Noel B. Reynolds, who seemed to say that anyone who is righteous and not lazy will overcome their doubts, the other essays were very supportive and respectful of people who struggle with any aspect of their testimony. It was especially comforting to know that these words came from 40-50 years ago, but are still relevant to those with questions today.
I found two quotes especially memorable. The first was by Eugene England:
"The possibility that God exists, the mere chance that he guarantees human immortality and joyful eternal purposes, is so stupendous a possibility that we ought to risk all for it, gamble everything, certainly time and intellectual persistence and 'working out our salvation in fear and trembling' rather than getting lost in some absurdly fair or 'objective' game of letting all the negative evidence overbalance the little, but sufficient, positive evidence.
If I am marooned on a desert island, absolutely dependent on finding another human being to comfort and perhaps save me, the one little swale where I find a single footprint is more important, more true, than the other hundreds of square miles where I find nothing."
Similarly, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich had this response to a young woman who thought the church was probably 10% human and 90% divine.
"If you find any earthly institution that is ten percent divine, embrace it with all your heart! Actually 10 percent is probably too high an estimate. Jesus spoke of grains of salt and bits of leaven, and He told His disciples that 'the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a filed; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field' (Matthew 13:44). Thus a small speck of divinity--the salt in the earth, the leaven in the lump of dough, the treasure hidden in the field--gives value and life to the whole."
This book is by people with a wide range of certainty in their beliefs. Some have had miraculous, near-death experiences, while others have used logic to decide that the Church of Jesus Christ is the best place for them. The very first essay was Richard D. Poll's comparison of people's testimonies to Liahonas or Iron Rods. Other than Noel B. Reynolds, who seemed to say that anyone who is righteous and not lazy will overcome their doubts, the other essays were very supportive and respectful of people who struggle with any aspect of their testimony. It was especially comforting to know that these words came from 40-50 years ago, but are still relevant to those with questions today.
I found two quotes especially memorable. The first was by Eugene England:
"The possibility that God exists, the mere chance that he guarantees human immortality and joyful eternal purposes, is so stupendous a possibility that we ought to risk all for it, gamble everything, certainly time and intellectual persistence and 'working out our salvation in fear and trembling' rather than getting lost in some absurdly fair or 'objective' game of letting all the negative evidence overbalance the little, but sufficient, positive evidence.
If I am marooned on a desert island, absolutely dependent on finding another human being to comfort and perhaps save me, the one little swale where I find a single footprint is more important, more true, than the other hundreds of square miles where I find nothing."
Similarly, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich had this response to a young woman who thought the church was probably 10% human and 90% divine.
"If you find any earthly institution that is ten percent divine, embrace it with all your heart! Actually 10 percent is probably too high an estimate. Jesus spoke of grains of salt and bits of leaven, and He told His disciples that 'the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a filed; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field' (Matthew 13:44). Thus a small speck of divinity--the salt in the earth, the leaven in the lump of dough, the treasure hidden in the field--gives value and life to the whole."
April 14, 2025
The first of three books I read after completing Eugene England's biography.
The world would be a better place if every religious tradition had a book like this, with personal essays written by those at the top of their fields (science, legal, academic, psychiatric, etc.) explaining in an unfiltered way the "wrestle" they have experienced between faith and professional expertise, and how the wrestle has strengthened both .
Alas, from my limited-view seating in the peanut gallery, religious traditions find books like this hard to digest. Unfortunate.
"The gospel is so true that a person need not be afraid to study and explore any topic" (Kenneth Godfrey)
“In essentials let there be unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity.” (B.H. Roberts)
"In general, if we would be as rigorously honest and thorough in questioning our negative conclusions as we are our positive ones, we would find God and truth more easily." (Eugene England)
"Faith is at my core... Scholarship is my most valued auxiliary. Through it my mind is enriched, my relationships enlivened, my living procured, and such worldly reputation as I have sustained. But I will never forget that when the Savior greets me at the veil, it will not be my scholarship that will be examined." (Carlfred Broderick)
"I am not quite egoistic enough to believe that if the Church doesn’t happen to agree with me on every social and moral issue it is wrong and I must walk out in a huff. But I am of the conviction that even though Church has revelation and inspiration guiding its leaders, God is concerned that we exercise our intelligence, pursue truth intelligently, and use our free agency. I don’t think He wants to solve all of our problems for us, thereby creating an extreme dependence; I think we must sweat it out sometimes." (Victor Cline)
I'm grateful for Philip Barlow compiling these lectures.
The world would be a better place if every religious tradition had a book like this, with personal essays written by those at the top of their fields (science, legal, academic, psychiatric, etc.) explaining in an unfiltered way the "wrestle" they have experienced between faith and professional expertise, and how the wrestle has strengthened both .
Alas, from my limited-view seating in the peanut gallery, religious traditions find books like this hard to digest. Unfortunate.
"The gospel is so true that a person need not be afraid to study and explore any topic" (Kenneth Godfrey)
“In essentials let there be unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity.” (B.H. Roberts)
"In general, if we would be as rigorously honest and thorough in questioning our negative conclusions as we are our positive ones, we would find God and truth more easily." (Eugene England)
"Faith is at my core... Scholarship is my most valued auxiliary. Through it my mind is enriched, my relationships enlivened, my living procured, and such worldly reputation as I have sustained. But I will never forget that when the Savior greets me at the veil, it will not be my scholarship that will be examined." (Carlfred Broderick)
"I am not quite egoistic enough to believe that if the Church doesn’t happen to agree with me on every social and moral issue it is wrong and I must walk out in a huff. But I am of the conviction that even though Church has revelation and inspiration guiding its leaders, God is concerned that we exercise our intelligence, pursue truth intelligently, and use our free agency. I don’t think He wants to solve all of our problems for us, thereby creating an extreme dependence; I think we must sweat it out sometimes." (Victor Cline)
I'm grateful for Philip Barlow compiling these lectures.
August 24, 2019
This is an outstanding collection of essays written by some of the best intellectuals, scholars and scientists that the faith has to offer.
September 25, 2025
BOOK REVIEW - A Thoughtful Faith: Essays on Belief by Mormon Scholars, ed. Philip L. Barlow (1989)
Our little “study group” of budding LDS thinkers and questioners read this book when it was first published. Phil Barlow was doing post-doc work at the University of Rochester and met with our little band. Nearly all that group learned to navigate the tension between belief and doubt and went to extensive roles in church leadership and faithful lives. It’s been almost 40 years since I read this book and still marvel at the influence of the contributors and Dr. Barlow.
A generation before “faith-and-doubt” became a publishing niche, A Thoughtful Faith offered a humane, intellectually serious set of first-person essays showing that the life of the mind and the life of the Spirit don’t have to be at war. The collection (22 essays) gathers historians, scientists, psychologists, poets, and essayists, each narrating how conviction is formed, tested, and sustained—without either anti-intellectual swagger or brittle apologetics. Barlow’s own framing makes the book’s purpose plain: to reassure skeptics that thoughtful believers exist and to remind believers that questioning need not equal apostasy.
Notable essays (a few highlights):
Richard D. Poll, “What the Church Means to People Like Me.” A clear-eyed account of belonging for the reflective Latter-day Saint—attuned to conscience, community, and institutional limits.
Richard L. Bushman, “My Belief.” A master historian models historically informed faith—neither naïve nor cynical—showing how scholarly habit and discipleship can coexist.
Eugene England, “On Finding Truth and God: From Hope to Knowledge to Skepticism to Faith.” A pilgrimage essay that names seasons of certitude and storm; England’s pastoral voice makes space for complexity without losing devotion.
Francine Bennion, “A Large and Reasonable Context.” A luminous meditation on suffering, agency, and the moral imagination—arguing for breadth and mercy in how we interpret lives (our own included).
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, “Lusterware.” A historian of everyday life uses a domestic object as metaphor for sacrament in the ordinary—quiet, artful, and memorable.
Leonard J. Arrington, “Why I Am a Believer.” The Church’s great economic historian roots belief in experience, service, and community, not just arguments.
Noel B. Reynolds, “Reason and Revelation.” A philosophical map of how reasoning and revealed claims meet—useful for readers who want categories as well as testimony.
Rounding out the volume are intimate pieces from Carlfred Broderick, Emma Lou Thayne, Thomas G. Alexander, Victor B. Cline, Mary L. Bradford, among others—voices that collectively span scholarship and art.
The essays are candid yet hopeful. It the kind of book that helps a reader who may wrestle with history, policy, or culture—see lived faith up close. For many, that human scale is faith-affirming rather than shattering because it dignifies both inquiry and trust.
Our little “study group” of budding LDS thinkers and questioners read this book when it was first published. Phil Barlow was doing post-doc work at the University of Rochester and met with our little band. Nearly all that group learned to navigate the tension between belief and doubt and went to extensive roles in church leadership and faithful lives. It’s been almost 40 years since I read this book and still marvel at the influence of the contributors and Dr. Barlow.
A generation before “faith-and-doubt” became a publishing niche, A Thoughtful Faith offered a humane, intellectually serious set of first-person essays showing that the life of the mind and the life of the Spirit don’t have to be at war. The collection (22 essays) gathers historians, scientists, psychologists, poets, and essayists, each narrating how conviction is formed, tested, and sustained—without either anti-intellectual swagger or brittle apologetics. Barlow’s own framing makes the book’s purpose plain: to reassure skeptics that thoughtful believers exist and to remind believers that questioning need not equal apostasy.
Notable essays (a few highlights):
Richard D. Poll, “What the Church Means to People Like Me.” A clear-eyed account of belonging for the reflective Latter-day Saint—attuned to conscience, community, and institutional limits.
Richard L. Bushman, “My Belief.” A master historian models historically informed faith—neither naïve nor cynical—showing how scholarly habit and discipleship can coexist.
Eugene England, “On Finding Truth and God: From Hope to Knowledge to Skepticism to Faith.” A pilgrimage essay that names seasons of certitude and storm; England’s pastoral voice makes space for complexity without losing devotion.
Francine Bennion, “A Large and Reasonable Context.” A luminous meditation on suffering, agency, and the moral imagination—arguing for breadth and mercy in how we interpret lives (our own included).
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, “Lusterware.” A historian of everyday life uses a domestic object as metaphor for sacrament in the ordinary—quiet, artful, and memorable.
Leonard J. Arrington, “Why I Am a Believer.” The Church’s great economic historian roots belief in experience, service, and community, not just arguments.
Noel B. Reynolds, “Reason and Revelation.” A philosophical map of how reasoning and revealed claims meet—useful for readers who want categories as well as testimony.
Rounding out the volume are intimate pieces from Carlfred Broderick, Emma Lou Thayne, Thomas G. Alexander, Victor B. Cline, Mary L. Bradford, among others—voices that collectively span scholarship and art.
The essays are candid yet hopeful. It the kind of book that helps a reader who may wrestle with history, policy, or culture—see lived faith up close. For many, that human scale is faith-affirming rather than shattering because it dignifies both inquiry and trust.
January 20, 2010
Thoughtful essays that were both influential and comforting when I first started feeling out my religious boundaries. Not just comforting, as I read these essays, they helped me to gain confidence as I realized that I wouldn't just be thrown about by whatever anyone said. I found things here that I thought were true and other things that I didn't feel applied to me or that I didn't agree with. But, I respected everything written there. An excellent collection.
July 14, 2008
I can't say enough good about this book! It is out of print so you'll pay atleast 50 bucks for it on amazon, but it is worth every penny...(easy for me to say, my brother bought it for me;) But seriously, READ IT!
October 20, 2011
There were about 22 short essays about belief from various Mormon intellectuals. There were about 8 essays that really made this book worth it. I would really recommend "Lusterware" to someone who does not want to read the entire book.
November 30, 2014
22 different intellectual scholars, who are also LDS, write off how and why they have faith. Every one is worth reading.
I will pick this book up from time to time to be reminded of the differing perspectives of thoughtful saints.
I will pick this book up from time to time to be reminded of the differing perspectives of thoughtful saints.
March 31, 2015
I love this book. I think everyone who has struggled with faith, intellectualism, church doctrines, or anything else regarding reconciling religious belief should read it. It's a wonderful collection of essays. It's out-of-print and can be hard to find, but it's a wonderful text.
February 24, 2016
This is an outstanding collection of essays showing the many differing paths to balancing faith and intellect. The essays would be beneficial to those strong in their faith but especially for those who are searching for faith and a reason to believe.
August 21, 2008
Great book!!!
October 26, 2008
Latter-day Saint scholars including Richard Bushman, Eugene England, Leonard J. Arrington, and others share their reflections on faith and belief.
May 21, 2013
Loved these.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews