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Finding God in the Questions: A Personal Journey
One of Massachusetts Bible Society's Top Ten Religious Books of 2004! #8 on the New York Times Hardcover Advice Bestseller List! (June 14, 2004) #7 on the Publishers Weekly Religion Hardcover Bestseller List (October 2004) Do you wonder whether or not God is real? Do you doubt that religion can be relevant? Do you wish that faith were possible for you? Don't shy away from your questions, says Dr. Timothy Johnson, medical editor for ABC News. He believes that's where God meets you--in the midst of honest grappling with heartfelt issues. In this remarkable book, Dr. Johnson discloses his deeply personal journey of faith. With the same keen mind accustomed to medical and scientific examination, he investigates the plausibility of God's existence and explores the significance of the person of Jesus. Despite all the difficulties of faith, he explains what he believes and why. He writes, "As a physician, I have committed my professional life to healing and wellness. But my public work is only a small part of who I really am--or rather, who I want to be. This book is, in a sense, 'the rest of the story.' "For many people, religion provides answers to the big questions of life. For others, the absolute claims of religion raise more questions than they answer. I have lived on both sides--and in some senses, I still do. My path of faith has wandered through both doubt and belief, often at the same time. "Doubt doesn't have to tear down belief, however; it can purify it. When it does, the beliefs on the other side become more certain. This is why I would like to affirm that it is possible to find God even while you are still asking the big questions." Come join a fellow pilgrim on the journey. Ask your questions--and perhaps find God behind them.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2004
8 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 7, 2012
This is the first book I read when I rededicated my life to Christ. It's an excellent book in laying out the big questions and answering them in way that is extremely academic and encouraging. Coming out of college, it's really hard to get past some of the bigger questions, like does God exist, what about the universe, what about Jesus, or the witnesses, etc.? There is so much scientific data and historical records to answer these questions without a doubt for anyone who has an ear to hear it. It was a great way for me to get my foot on solid ground before I moved on to stregthening my biblical foundation. I've bought this book twice and have loaned it out, never to have gotten them returned. It must be good! It's good for anyone who is questioning and needs more than a feeling to go off of.
March 13, 2012
p.66 This drive for relationship, not just for sex, is a universal characteristic of human nature. We spend much of our lives consumed with desire for an intimate relationship that will satisfy all our needs, emotional as well as physical...We know that physical touch has extraordinary power to increase well-being, and the lack of it jeopardizes well-being. Studies show that happily married couples enjoy better health and longer lives than singles or unhappily married individuals.
The Chalcedonian Creed (A.D. 451)
The Chalcedonian Creed reads:
We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [co-essential] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning [have declared] concerning Him, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.
p. 134-136 “It is enough to make me weep—this reduction of the vibrant Jesus portrayed in the Gospels to the stilted language of church leaders under pressure from the emperor to settle their theological differences. It is almost as if they had turned the profoundly beautiful relationship between Jesus and God as recorded in the Gospels into a basic biology lesson! From this moment on, the course was set. Not only would the church increasingly define its beliefs and practice through highly intellectualized creedal statements, but the humble organization of the initial Jesus Movement would eventually become the imperial church sanctioned by imperial Rome. It would become a political and even military-like force that would often elevate itself to the heights of secular power and prestige but all too often at the spiritual expense of distorting the original message of Jesus.
I believe that if Jesus were to return to earth today, he would be stunned and saddened to see that the church founded in his name has too often become a gathering of those more concerned to be politically influential or socially powerful than to be spiritually available to those in need.
This is just one of many reasons why I have come to prefer the phrase a “follower of Jesus” rather than the label “Christian.” The latter word too often simply indicates blind support of the various aspects of the religion called Christianity. (The word Christianity, designating a formal religion, is not found in the New Testament and is first used by a Roman historian in the second century.) I personally like “follower of Jesus” for many reasons, including
• It drives me back to the Gospel accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus as my spiritual guide. It puts me in the good company of the first followers of Jesus who knew nothing of the later intellectual formulations that would transform the Jesus they had experienced in real life into the Christ of the creeds and the church.
• It does not force me into explaining what kind of Christian I am or am not—for example, a “Jerry Falwell” Christian or a “Bishop Spong” Christian, both of whom claim to be Christians but are as different as night and day in what they believe and teach.
• It does not require me to defend the terrible misdeeds of some past representatives of the Christian religion or to justify the cultural stridency of some modern Christians. It also frees me from playing the endless and divisive intellectual game of who is “right” and which theological positions (all of them too human in their verbal formulations) are “true.” Indeed, sometimes the shouting match between so-called believers begins to sound like that of children in a theological sandbox screaming, “My God is better than your God!” The terrible religious hatred of recent times reminds us just how dangerous that theological sandbox fighting can become. If there is one thing I am now absolutely certain of, it is that no human minds or committees will ever capture the powerful reality we call God with human words or formulas or creeds. At best, and even then only a distant second best, they can be only an approximation of that reality.
Most importantly, calling myself a follower of Jesus urges me to pursue the kind of life portrayed and taught by Jesus in the Gospels. Indeed, the Gospel writer Luke, in his history of the early church as recorded in the book of Acts, often refers to the early followers of Jesus as those who followed the “Way of the Lord.” I like the feel and sound of that phrase, implying a personal commitment of the heart to the “Way of Jesus” rather than a mental commitment to the intellectual formulations of church theologians.
p. 142 I believe this phrase—“born again”—should be understood metaphorically to describe a dramatic spiritual change in a person’s life, so dramatic that it is reminiscent of our initial physical birth—a conversion of from one kind of existence (in the womb) to another (in the outside world).
p.180
“Let us weigh up the gain and the loss involved in calling heads that God exists. Let us assess the two cases: if you win you win everything, if you lose you lose nothing.” ~ Blaise Pascal
But, you might say, you lose your integrity and self-respect if you bet on God without really believing in it. For that reason, I personally don’t feel comfortable with this kind of intellectual bet—a logical analysis that concludes “there is nothing to lose” in betting that God exists.
The Chalcedonian Creed (A.D. 451)
The Chalcedonian Creed reads:
We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [co-essential] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning [have declared] concerning Him, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.
p. 134-136 “It is enough to make me weep—this reduction of the vibrant Jesus portrayed in the Gospels to the stilted language of church leaders under pressure from the emperor to settle their theological differences. It is almost as if they had turned the profoundly beautiful relationship between Jesus and God as recorded in the Gospels into a basic biology lesson! From this moment on, the course was set. Not only would the church increasingly define its beliefs and practice through highly intellectualized creedal statements, but the humble organization of the initial Jesus Movement would eventually become the imperial church sanctioned by imperial Rome. It would become a political and even military-like force that would often elevate itself to the heights of secular power and prestige but all too often at the spiritual expense of distorting the original message of Jesus.
I believe that if Jesus were to return to earth today, he would be stunned and saddened to see that the church founded in his name has too often become a gathering of those more concerned to be politically influential or socially powerful than to be spiritually available to those in need.
This is just one of many reasons why I have come to prefer the phrase a “follower of Jesus” rather than the label “Christian.” The latter word too often simply indicates blind support of the various aspects of the religion called Christianity. (The word Christianity, designating a formal religion, is not found in the New Testament and is first used by a Roman historian in the second century.) I personally like “follower of Jesus” for many reasons, including
• It drives me back to the Gospel accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus as my spiritual guide. It puts me in the good company of the first followers of Jesus who knew nothing of the later intellectual formulations that would transform the Jesus they had experienced in real life into the Christ of the creeds and the church.
• It does not force me into explaining what kind of Christian I am or am not—for example, a “Jerry Falwell” Christian or a “Bishop Spong” Christian, both of whom claim to be Christians but are as different as night and day in what they believe and teach.
• It does not require me to defend the terrible misdeeds of some past representatives of the Christian religion or to justify the cultural stridency of some modern Christians. It also frees me from playing the endless and divisive intellectual game of who is “right” and which theological positions (all of them too human in their verbal formulations) are “true.” Indeed, sometimes the shouting match between so-called believers begins to sound like that of children in a theological sandbox screaming, “My God is better than your God!” The terrible religious hatred of recent times reminds us just how dangerous that theological sandbox fighting can become. If there is one thing I am now absolutely certain of, it is that no human minds or committees will ever capture the powerful reality we call God with human words or formulas or creeds. At best, and even then only a distant second best, they can be only an approximation of that reality.
Most importantly, calling myself a follower of Jesus urges me to pursue the kind of life portrayed and taught by Jesus in the Gospels. Indeed, the Gospel writer Luke, in his history of the early church as recorded in the book of Acts, often refers to the early followers of Jesus as those who followed the “Way of the Lord.” I like the feel and sound of that phrase, implying a personal commitment of the heart to the “Way of Jesus” rather than a mental commitment to the intellectual formulations of church theologians.
p. 142 I believe this phrase—“born again”—should be understood metaphorically to describe a dramatic spiritual change in a person’s life, so dramatic that it is reminiscent of our initial physical birth—a conversion of from one kind of existence (in the womb) to another (in the outside world).
p.180
“Let us weigh up the gain and the loss involved in calling heads that God exists. Let us assess the two cases: if you win you win everything, if you lose you lose nothing.” ~ Blaise Pascal
But, you might say, you lose your integrity and self-respect if you bet on God without really believing in it. For that reason, I personally don’t feel comfortable with this kind of intellectual bet—a logical analysis that concludes “there is nothing to lose” in betting that God exists.
January 6, 2025
The first 60 pages are tumultuous and are an absolute terror to get through. It's needed and necessary and you should read it, but I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to throw in the towel. I'm glad I didn't.
While I don't agree with everything Dr. Johnson believes, this book highlights a new and different perspective and gives me new insight and information - most of it I do believe is accurate and follows my line of belief and personal Christian thought.
It was interesting to read and learn and see his thoughts through and medical and journalism perspective. This was a great read to start the new year. I am now motivated to read the gospels more closely and re-evaluate my relationship with Christ.
While I don't agree with everything Dr. Johnson believes, this book highlights a new and different perspective and gives me new insight and information - most of it I do believe is accurate and follows my line of belief and personal Christian thought.
It was interesting to read and learn and see his thoughts through and medical and journalism perspective. This was a great read to start the new year. I am now motivated to read the gospels more closely and re-evaluate my relationship with Christ.
February 11, 2018
Listened to the audio version. Very short, but excellent for anybody wanting to know how an intelligent, and rational person (MD and national TV [ABC] personality) deals with some of the most difficult questions surrounding faith in Christ. I can assure that you will be surprised by some of Johnson's reckonings. This is an excellent read, whether you are a follower of Christ or not. In fact, I'd say it is toned for anybody who has thought deeply about their view of the world and the cosmos.
June 14, 2024
Good read. Convincing on intelligent design.
April 2, 2013
Dr. Timothy Johnsons offers a sincere and personal perspective of his faith journey asking several questions most of have asked and continue to ask. Free of deep theological terms, readers will find his writing pleasant but some of his conclusions are weak on Biblical foundation. Rather than considering the whole council of God, he mostly cites the teachings of Jesus. While Jesus' teachings are certainly true they are not the whole truth and there are numerous other passages ignored that speak directly to the questions he asks.
Fundamentally, he never talks about the truth found in Scripture such as 1 Cor. 2:14-16 and John 16:13. For example, he spends a lot of time discussing the origins of the universe dogmatically rejecting "chance" while championing "human selection." No Scripture is discussed and the reader is left to conclude that he believes in God creating the universe via evolution. If that is what he believes one would expect him to at least acknowledge that he finds the Genesis account to be figurative. Another example is his vague answer for salvation, perhaps meant to not offend those of other beliefs. Since he posits himself as a believer, one would conclude that he would offer a clear Scriptural based answer for salvation. Instead, his vagueness leads one to believe that good acts save you rather than your salvation driving good acts.
In sum, you will not find Biblical answers in this book. You will find answers where beliefs, a little Scripture, intellect, etc. are thrown into a funnel and an answer falls out the bottom. As believers who have the Spirit to "guide you into all truth (Jn.16:13)," we can bring our brains, intellect, level of faith, curiosity and everything else into that funnel but it must have a filter at the bottom that is the truth of Scripture. All this being said, the author's real message seems to be that believers should follow the teachings of Jesus and that is a message I can embrace.
Disclaimer: I listened to an abridged audio version. Perhaps the written version has more information but the abridged audio is likely the message he mainly wanted to deliver.
Fundamentally, he never talks about the truth found in Scripture such as 1 Cor. 2:14-16 and John 16:13. For example, he spends a lot of time discussing the origins of the universe dogmatically rejecting "chance" while championing "human selection." No Scripture is discussed and the reader is left to conclude that he believes in God creating the universe via evolution. If that is what he believes one would expect him to at least acknowledge that he finds the Genesis account to be figurative. Another example is his vague answer for salvation, perhaps meant to not offend those of other beliefs. Since he posits himself as a believer, one would conclude that he would offer a clear Scriptural based answer for salvation. Instead, his vagueness leads one to believe that good acts save you rather than your salvation driving good acts.
In sum, you will not find Biblical answers in this book. You will find answers where beliefs, a little Scripture, intellect, etc. are thrown into a funnel and an answer falls out the bottom. As believers who have the Spirit to "guide you into all truth (Jn.16:13)," we can bring our brains, intellect, level of faith, curiosity and everything else into that funnel but it must have a filter at the bottom that is the truth of Scripture. All this being said, the author's real message seems to be that believers should follow the teachings of Jesus and that is a message I can embrace.
Disclaimer: I listened to an abridged audio version. Perhaps the written version has more information but the abridged audio is likely the message he mainly wanted to deliver.
July 31, 2008
This book started out pretty good and went a little downhill from there. Since it is so much of the authors personal journey I felt it wasn't as in depth as I would have liked. It is clear he did a lot of reading to formulate his thoughts and I appreciate the help with my own journey through the questions. Very worth reading!
July 18, 2009
Great arguments for the existence of God expressed in simple terms. Dr. Johnson is a humble man in many ways, but he seems to reject the traditional view of the inspiration of scripture, and he certainly rejects the atonement of Christ as God's only plan for reconciling mankind to Himself. I'm interested in his recommended reading section.
August 4, 2016
Not all that I had hoped, but helpful. Certainly not traditional faith based theology, but inspiring if you are comfortable with idea that questioning our beliefs can make us stronger. Maybe we are not judged by the answers we profess, but by the questions we ask.
November 15, 2008
I enjoyed the scientific information in the first few chapters of this book. Other than this, the book is very forgetable. I was surprised how little I found interesting in the book, especially since I, myself, have so many unanswered questions about God.
September 20, 2007
I listened to this one in the car. It was abridged. Had some interesting points, but it seemed pretty light. Maybe the full text would be more in depth.
Read
January 27, 2008Need to open our hearts and ask quesstioins to charge our hearts.
How we are to live justly in a human way.
How can we focus on a much bigger picture than just on our daily existenc.
How we are to live justly in a human way.
How can we focus on a much bigger picture than just on our daily existenc.
April 1, 2012
I liked this book overall, but probably because Dr. Johnson's beliefs are so similar to my own. It wasn't as much apologetics as I had hoped it would be, though it was reaffirming.
December 31, 2014
An honest and candid exploration of one's own doubt, faith struggle, and resolution through the lens of a medical scientist who embraces the eternal.
January 13, 2016
Very short and not in enough depth on the answers, rather disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews