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Beyond the Wager: The Christian Brilliance of Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal, the seventeenth-century French philosopher and scientist, is perhaps best known for his "wager," an argument about the existence of God. But there was much more to Pascal and his brilliance. In this accessible and well-documented study, philosopher Douglas Groothuis introduces readers to Pascal's life as well as the breadth of his intellectual pursuits, including his contributions to mathematics, science, ethics, and theology. Groothuis overviews the key points of Pascal's Pensées , which captures his thoughts about God, humanity, and Jesus Christ. Readers will also explore Pascal's views on a range of topics, including culture, politics, Islam, and miracles. Often quoted and often misunderstood, Pascal is a complex figure whose writings have charmed, puzzled, and inspired readers across the centuries. With guidance from a leading Christian thinker and longtime student of Pascal, Beyond the Wager takes you on a journey to discover the riches Pascal has to offer today.
- GenresPhilosophy
224 pages, Paperback
Published April 2, 2024
16 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Groothuis
50 books81 followersDouglas Groothuis (PhD, University of Oregon) is professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary in Denver, Colorado, where he heads the Apologetics and Ethics masters degree program. His articles have been published in professional journals such as Religious Studies, Philosophia Christi, Themelios, Christian Scholar's Review, Inquiry, and Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. He has written numerous books, including Christian Apologetics and, most recently Philosophy in Seven Sentences.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 24, 2024
take the 4 star to mean 3.5 stars. Was really good, but a simple intro to the Pascal. For anyone unfamiliar with the wager, and greater work of Blaise Pascal, this is a wonderful launch pad.
November 3, 2024
Summary: Argues that Pascal’s brilliance extends beyond his famous “wager” to his scientific, philosophic, and Christian insights.
Justly or unjustly, Blaise Pascal is often most known for his “Wager.” He argues that faith in God is in one’s best interest. If indeed God exists and rewards belief in him, this is of infinite gain while unbelief entails infinite loss. By contrast if one believes and God does not exist, the losses are relatively minimal. In Beyond the Wager, Douglas Groothuis not only defends the Wager but argues for the brilliance of Pascal, particularly as a Christian thinker, as revealed in Pensees.
Groothuis, a noted Christian apologist, has been reading Pensees since 1977. This work is a revision and expansion on an earlier work, On Pascal, published in 2003. Specifically, he adds chapters on miracles and prophecy pertaining to Christ, the excellence of Christ, “Christianity, Muhammad, and the Jews,” and on Pascals critique of politics. In addition, he includes a delightful imagined dialogue between Pascal and Descartes.
In introducing his subject, Groothuis proposes that Pascal is both well-known and unknown. He made contributions in math and science (as well as inventing the first prototype of mass transit, the omnibus). What is less understood is his brilliance as a Christian thinker. Pascal, without jettisoning reason, recognized that belief “involved submitting the core of one’s being to a supernatural being who calls one into a transformational encounter and ongoing engagement” in response to the heart’s perception of God. This is what is behind his statement that “the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.” He understands Pascal as one who lived between the Medieval Age and the Enlightenment, both a devout Catholic and yet reformer in sympathy with the Jansenists. And he was both a philosopher who endorsed much of the Cartesian world, yet never separated science from God.
After a brief biography of Pascal, who died at 39, he explores how Pascal developed our understanding of both the nature and limits of science. Then he turns to the theological controversy he engaged on behalf of the Jansenists against the Jesuits. The Jesuits argued that divine choice and human freedom were incompatible and emphasized human choice. Pascal, anticipating the Protestant Reformers, argued for compatibilism, that external determination and personal choice were compatible.
Following this discussion, Groothuis turns to the Pensees, which will occupy the remainder of the book. Noting its fragmentary and incomplete nature, Groothuis calls attention to Pascal’s basic plan for the work. Pascal divided it in two parts: the wretchedness of man without God and the happiness of man with God. He defends it as an apologetic and delineates Pascal’s three orders of being: the body, the mind, and the heart. Each are essential to knowledge of God.
Subsequently, Groothuis deals first with Pascal’s arguments for God, including his sense of the limits of natural theology. Instead he shows how our human condition as “magnificent wretches” points us not only toward God but toward our need. He explores Pascal’s ideas in the light of skepticism about the hiddenness of God and how this relates to our fallenness. Groothuis show how Pascal argues from the human condition to our need for divine revelation and redemption. He then discusses Pascal’s treatment of miracles and prophecy to attest to the uniqueness of Christ as the Savior who atoned through the cross, addressing the human condition. All of this culminates in a chapter on the excellence of Christ, captured in Pascal’s description of Christ’s “offices” in 106 words. Groothuis discusses what this means for our spiritual life, our experience of suffering and for a thinking body of Christ.
Given the contemporary challenge of Islam, Groothuis shows how Pascal argued for the superiority of Christ and the Bible. Interestingly, he outlines Pascal’s argument for Christianity from Judaism and against Islam, that Jesus, not Muhammad, is the prophet foreseen by Moses. Then, Groothuis comes to the Wager, expositing Pascal’s framing of the Wager, showing how one must wager and addressing objections to the Wager. This is followed by a chapter summarizing Pascal’s critiques of culture and politics. Pascal had a penetrating view of the pomps and pretenses of politics and culture. He argues that Christ offers the only sane point in an insane world.
Groothuis concludes by commending Pascal as a guide. He is a mentor who exemplifies ardent love for Christ. Pascal’s grasp of the human condition helps us understand both ourselves and others. His literary gifts across multiple disciplines may motivate writers to excellence. As an innovative scientist, he models a philosophy of science reflecting a biblical worldview. His biting wit as he considers culture and politics challenges us to forsake worldly embraces of pomp and power for godliness. And Pensees is a goldmine of insight for apologists.
Douglas Groothuis makes a strong case for renewed attention to the life and writing of Blaise Pascal as a Christian thinker. He brings a framework to our reading of the fragmented and unfinished Pensees, helping us to recognize the intellectual as well as devotional brilliance of this work. He defends Pascal against his detractors, including the arguments against Pascal’s Wager. But beyond all this, his discussion of the thought of Pascal shows the far-reaching character of his brilliance. Now to find my copy of Pensees….
Justly or unjustly, Blaise Pascal is often most known for his “Wager.” He argues that faith in God is in one’s best interest. If indeed God exists and rewards belief in him, this is of infinite gain while unbelief entails infinite loss. By contrast if one believes and God does not exist, the losses are relatively minimal. In Beyond the Wager, Douglas Groothuis not only defends the Wager but argues for the brilliance of Pascal, particularly as a Christian thinker, as revealed in Pensees.
Groothuis, a noted Christian apologist, has been reading Pensees since 1977. This work is a revision and expansion on an earlier work, On Pascal, published in 2003. Specifically, he adds chapters on miracles and prophecy pertaining to Christ, the excellence of Christ, “Christianity, Muhammad, and the Jews,” and on Pascals critique of politics. In addition, he includes a delightful imagined dialogue between Pascal and Descartes.
In introducing his subject, Groothuis proposes that Pascal is both well-known and unknown. He made contributions in math and science (as well as inventing the first prototype of mass transit, the omnibus). What is less understood is his brilliance as a Christian thinker. Pascal, without jettisoning reason, recognized that belief “involved submitting the core of one’s being to a supernatural being who calls one into a transformational encounter and ongoing engagement” in response to the heart’s perception of God. This is what is behind his statement that “the heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.” He understands Pascal as one who lived between the Medieval Age and the Enlightenment, both a devout Catholic and yet reformer in sympathy with the Jansenists. And he was both a philosopher who endorsed much of the Cartesian world, yet never separated science from God.
After a brief biography of Pascal, who died at 39, he explores how Pascal developed our understanding of both the nature and limits of science. Then he turns to the theological controversy he engaged on behalf of the Jansenists against the Jesuits. The Jesuits argued that divine choice and human freedom were incompatible and emphasized human choice. Pascal, anticipating the Protestant Reformers, argued for compatibilism, that external determination and personal choice were compatible.
Following this discussion, Groothuis turns to the Pensees, which will occupy the remainder of the book. Noting its fragmentary and incomplete nature, Groothuis calls attention to Pascal’s basic plan for the work. Pascal divided it in two parts: the wretchedness of man without God and the happiness of man with God. He defends it as an apologetic and delineates Pascal’s three orders of being: the body, the mind, and the heart. Each are essential to knowledge of God.
Subsequently, Groothuis deals first with Pascal’s arguments for God, including his sense of the limits of natural theology. Instead he shows how our human condition as “magnificent wretches” points us not only toward God but toward our need. He explores Pascal’s ideas in the light of skepticism about the hiddenness of God and how this relates to our fallenness. Groothuis show how Pascal argues from the human condition to our need for divine revelation and redemption. He then discusses Pascal’s treatment of miracles and prophecy to attest to the uniqueness of Christ as the Savior who atoned through the cross, addressing the human condition. All of this culminates in a chapter on the excellence of Christ, captured in Pascal’s description of Christ’s “offices” in 106 words. Groothuis discusses what this means for our spiritual life, our experience of suffering and for a thinking body of Christ.
Given the contemporary challenge of Islam, Groothuis shows how Pascal argued for the superiority of Christ and the Bible. Interestingly, he outlines Pascal’s argument for Christianity from Judaism and against Islam, that Jesus, not Muhammad, is the prophet foreseen by Moses. Then, Groothuis comes to the Wager, expositing Pascal’s framing of the Wager, showing how one must wager and addressing objections to the Wager. This is followed by a chapter summarizing Pascal’s critiques of culture and politics. Pascal had a penetrating view of the pomps and pretenses of politics and culture. He argues that Christ offers the only sane point in an insane world.
Groothuis concludes by commending Pascal as a guide. He is a mentor who exemplifies ardent love for Christ. Pascal’s grasp of the human condition helps us understand both ourselves and others. His literary gifts across multiple disciplines may motivate writers to excellence. As an innovative scientist, he models a philosophy of science reflecting a biblical worldview. His biting wit as he considers culture and politics challenges us to forsake worldly embraces of pomp and power for godliness. And Pensees is a goldmine of insight for apologists.
Douglas Groothuis makes a strong case for renewed attention to the life and writing of Blaise Pascal as a Christian thinker. He brings a framework to our reading of the fragmented and unfinished Pensees, helping us to recognize the intellectual as well as devotional brilliance of this work. He defends Pascal against his detractors, including the arguments against Pascal’s Wager. But beyond all this, his discussion of the thought of Pascal shows the far-reaching character of his brilliance. Now to find my copy of Pensees….
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June 30, 2024Disclaimer: When I’m selecting titles to review, I usually select nonfiction books either because I’m passionate about the subject matter (environmentalism, for instance) or the subject matter (books about C.S. Lewis, for instance) catches my eye. Some of the time, this results in my requesting a book that turns out to be different than what I expected— whether that comes down to ambiguity in the product description or my own inattention to details.
Such was the case for me with Beyond the Wager, which turned out to be heavy on apologetics and theology. These are topics I don’t usually choose to read about recreationally, and I also feel that books like this go beyond the scope of my work as a book blogger.
For these reasons, my review won’t delve into the theology presented, and I’m not allotting stars to this review.
What to Expect
While it contains some biographical content, which I enjoyed reading, Beyond the Wager is not so much a biography as it is a conversation with the works of Blaise Pascal. Well-researched, the book provides plenty of background information that contextualizes Pascal’s work and logic. The book’s chief thrust, however, is argumentative. Groothuis captures both the broad and finer strokes of Pascalian philosophy (though not exhaustively, as that would be beyond the scope of the book), and engages with the ideas presented. Groothuis has been studying Pascal for years, and many of his responses are laudatory: reaffirming Pascal’s conclusions and convictions.
In the instances where the author disagrees with Pascal’s arguments, he makes that very clear as well. As Groothuis succinctly explains in an end-chapter footnote, “My principal areas of disagreement are his rejection of natural theology, his asceticism in later life, and aspects of his Roman Catholic soteriology.” Thus, there is no ambiguity as to the author’s own position, and he also takes time to delineate between Pascalian thought and orthodox thought.
At roughly 200 pages, the book consists of thirteen chapters, plus preface, conclusion and appendix (a thought experiment in which the author pictures Descartes and Pascal arguing in heaven).
Biographical information about Pascal is frontloaded, especially in chapter 2, “A Short Life of Pascal.” Most chapters cover specific tenets of Pascalian thought. For instance, chapter 6 is about Pascal’s beliefs concerning natural theology, and chapter 12 focuses on the famous wager.
Personal Experience
I read some of Pascal’s Pensees during college in a Great Books program, which also meant spending time discussing Pascal’s writing, with my peers. I don’t remember a lot from that reading, but I was drawn to Beyond the Wager because the book’s description mentioned Pascal’s work as a scientist. In a time when science and faith are often (falsely) considered to be mutually exclusive, I liked that this work would focus on someone who was a brilliant man of faith.
My favorite portions of the book were those treating of his work in science and math, but these constituted a small portion of the text. I very much enjoyed the biographical information, which was also minor.
Among the chapters on Pascal’s philosophy, I liked the one about natural theology (what we can know about God by looking at the natural world). I did remember learning about this concept in college, and Groothuis identifies Pascal’s beliefs on the subject (that natural theology is insufficient without divine revelation), while contrasting Pascalian thought with Descartes’ work on the subject.
I also appreciated some of the insights from the chapter about culture and Christianity. And, I liked having the opportunity to read a fair amount of Pascal’s original words, embedded in the text. One of the most moving parts, for me, was a reprinting of a document that Pascal carried around with him, describing his personal experience with God.
It is worth noting that Beyond the Wager goes beyond the scope of commentary, as Groothuis is not merely laying out Pascal’s thoughts, but also engaging with them personally (and, as mentioned above, disagreeing at points).
Concluding Thoughts
While the book ended up being much more dense than I was hoping (since nonfiction isn’t my preferred genre), Groothuis does offer helpful contextualization and paraphrasing of the seminal French philosopher in an academic work that is rich with primary source material.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. Opinions expressed are my own.
Such was the case for me with Beyond the Wager, which turned out to be heavy on apologetics and theology. These are topics I don’t usually choose to read about recreationally, and I also feel that books like this go beyond the scope of my work as a book blogger.
For these reasons, my review won’t delve into the theology presented, and I’m not allotting stars to this review.
What to Expect
While it contains some biographical content, which I enjoyed reading, Beyond the Wager is not so much a biography as it is a conversation with the works of Blaise Pascal. Well-researched, the book provides plenty of background information that contextualizes Pascal’s work and logic. The book’s chief thrust, however, is argumentative. Groothuis captures both the broad and finer strokes of Pascalian philosophy (though not exhaustively, as that would be beyond the scope of the book), and engages with the ideas presented. Groothuis has been studying Pascal for years, and many of his responses are laudatory: reaffirming Pascal’s conclusions and convictions.
In the instances where the author disagrees with Pascal’s arguments, he makes that very clear as well. As Groothuis succinctly explains in an end-chapter footnote, “My principal areas of disagreement are his rejection of natural theology, his asceticism in later life, and aspects of his Roman Catholic soteriology.” Thus, there is no ambiguity as to the author’s own position, and he also takes time to delineate between Pascalian thought and orthodox thought.
At roughly 200 pages, the book consists of thirteen chapters, plus preface, conclusion and appendix (a thought experiment in which the author pictures Descartes and Pascal arguing in heaven).
Biographical information about Pascal is frontloaded, especially in chapter 2, “A Short Life of Pascal.” Most chapters cover specific tenets of Pascalian thought. For instance, chapter 6 is about Pascal’s beliefs concerning natural theology, and chapter 12 focuses on the famous wager.
Personal Experience
I read some of Pascal’s Pensees during college in a Great Books program, which also meant spending time discussing Pascal’s writing, with my peers. I don’t remember a lot from that reading, but I was drawn to Beyond the Wager because the book’s description mentioned Pascal’s work as a scientist. In a time when science and faith are often (falsely) considered to be mutually exclusive, I liked that this work would focus on someone who was a brilliant man of faith.
My favorite portions of the book were those treating of his work in science and math, but these constituted a small portion of the text. I very much enjoyed the biographical information, which was also minor.
Among the chapters on Pascal’s philosophy, I liked the one about natural theology (what we can know about God by looking at the natural world). I did remember learning about this concept in college, and Groothuis identifies Pascal’s beliefs on the subject (that natural theology is insufficient without divine revelation), while contrasting Pascalian thought with Descartes’ work on the subject.
I also appreciated some of the insights from the chapter about culture and Christianity. And, I liked having the opportunity to read a fair amount of Pascal’s original words, embedded in the text. One of the most moving parts, for me, was a reprinting of a document that Pascal carried around with him, describing his personal experience with God.
It is worth noting that Beyond the Wager goes beyond the scope of commentary, as Groothuis is not merely laying out Pascal’s thoughts, but also engaging with them personally (and, as mentioned above, disagreeing at points).
Concluding Thoughts
While the book ended up being much more dense than I was hoping (since nonfiction isn’t my preferred genre), Groothuis does offer helpful contextualization and paraphrasing of the seminal French philosopher in an academic work that is rich with primary source material.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. Opinions expressed are my own.
September 3, 2024
Did I read this because I now know someone named Blaise? Yes. Did I also read this because I was genuinely interested in Pascal’s philosophy? Absolutely. Pascal’s name frequently appears in the works of Van Til and Schaeffer, making him a philosopher worth knowing, especially in Reformed circles. Pascal is often known indirectly, through the interpretations and summaries of others rather than his own writings. This book shattered some of the myths I had absorbed about Pascal simply by exposure. In fact, it deepened my understanding of the philosopher, revealing a more nuanced and complex figure than the caricature I had imagined.
"Beyond the Wager" is part biography, part defense of Christianity, part introduction to Pascal’s philosophy, and concludes with a hypothetical conversation presented as a play. At times, the work felt like it was trying to accomplish too much, but I found valuable insights in every chapter.
Groothuis does a thorough job of illustrating that while Pascal was certainly not Protestant, he wasn’t a conventional Catholic either. He shows how Pascal played a crucial role in the development of the anti-natural theology movement in modern philosophy. Groothuis also makes it clear that "the wager" is just a small fraction of Pascal’s broader thought.
IVP has produced a book with sturdy paper, beautiful typeface, and ample margins, making it a pleasure to read.
"Beyond the Wager" is part biography, part defense of Christianity, part introduction to Pascal’s philosophy, and concludes with a hypothetical conversation presented as a play. At times, the work felt like it was trying to accomplish too much, but I found valuable insights in every chapter.
Groothuis does a thorough job of illustrating that while Pascal was certainly not Protestant, he wasn’t a conventional Catholic either. He shows how Pascal played a crucial role in the development of the anti-natural theology movement in modern philosophy. Groothuis also makes it clear that "the wager" is just a small fraction of Pascal’s broader thought.
IVP has produced a book with sturdy paper, beautiful typeface, and ample margins, making it a pleasure to read.
December 13, 2025
I listened to this as an audiobook. But this is the kind of book that I would have liked to take notes in, and underline stuff, and be able to go back a few pages and recap the most important things every now and then. There were some sections which felt too dense to listen to without having the possibility to quickly reread them in written form.
Blaise Pascal, a child prodigy, active in the fields of mathematics and the sciences, a devout Christian who wrote in defense of the scientific method while rejecting scientism.
Probably the most unexpected learning for me, considering he lived 300 years ago: he was involved in inventing the first public transportation system -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carross... .
How cool!
I would have appreciated a more systematic overview of differences and similarities of the philosophical positions of Descartes and Pascal.
„Knowledge of physical science will not console me for ignorance of morality in time of affliction, but knowledge of morality will always console me for ignorance of physical science.“
„Reason’s last step is that there is an infinite number of things beyond it.“
„An audience of one is enough.“
Blaise Pascal, a child prodigy, active in the fields of mathematics and the sciences, a devout Christian who wrote in defense of the scientific method while rejecting scientism.
Probably the most unexpected learning for me, considering he lived 300 years ago: he was involved in inventing the first public transportation system -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carross... .
How cool!
I would have appreciated a more systematic overview of differences and similarities of the philosophical positions of Descartes and Pascal.
„Knowledge of physical science will not console me for ignorance of morality in time of affliction, but knowledge of morality will always console me for ignorance of physical science.“
„Reason’s last step is that there is an infinite number of things beyond it.“
„An audience of one is enough.“
August 5, 2024
This may not be the best place to meet Pascal--for that I'd point to Pascal's Wager: The Man Who Played Dice with God (aside from reading Pascal himself, of course). But this is a good place to go for people who have already read the Pensées and want to reflect more deeply on the broader meaning of the text. It helps that Groothius' prose is clear and engaging, and while he doesn't dumb anything down he is accessible to non-experts. This is clearly a book written by someone who loves the subject matter and wants us to do the same. And while I'm no Pascal scholar, I think he's largely been successful here.
[A copy of this book was provided for review purposes; no restrictions were placed on my review.]
[A copy of this book was provided for review purposes; no restrictions were placed on my review.]
August 27, 2024
I've read Pascal for several years through the influence of Os Guinness. So I was very excited to read Groothuis. I was NOT disappointed. This is a marvelous introduction and explanation of an enigmatic thinker - scientist and philosopher. Groothuis deepened what I knew of his brief life and his technical accomplishments. Was familiar was Jansenism but not the extent of the bitten conflict with the Jesuits.
I will read it again with The Pensees next to me to read the context. Pascal doesn't have many friends. Catholics don't like him because he was too Protestant; Protestants don't like him because he was a loyal Catholic, but his conception and understanding of man is absolutely brilliant and relevant for the current generation. The one thing I wish Groothuis would have discussed was Pascal's notion of "sanctified indifference" in his chapter of politics.
I will read it again with The Pensees next to me to read the context. Pascal doesn't have many friends. Catholics don't like him because he was too Protestant; Protestants don't like him because he was a loyal Catholic, but his conception and understanding of man is absolutely brilliant and relevant for the current generation. The one thing I wish Groothuis would have discussed was Pascal's notion of "sanctified indifference" in his chapter of politics.
April 22, 2024
An insightful look at a one of a kind mind. Groothuis takes the reader through the brillance of Pascal, his many contributions to science as well as his philosophical and Christian writings. Pascal is truly an amazing intellect we can all learn from and be enriched by studying .
I was truly encouraged by Pascal's love for Jesus and his seriousness in the Christian life. He is as Groothuis states, a philosopher who can be read for devotional purposes. This work pulls out great inisghts from Pascal's writtings and help make them assessible to the average reader who might just be beginnig to learn about Pascal.
I was truly encouraged by Pascal's love for Jesus and his seriousness in the Christian life. He is as Groothuis states, a philosopher who can be read for devotional purposes. This work pulls out great inisghts from Pascal's writtings and help make them assessible to the average reader who might just be beginnig to learn about Pascal.
August 2, 2024
I listened to this book which may have been my problem but I could not follow the internal structure of the book very well. From one chapter to the next it didn’t seem distinct or to build logically or sequentially. Again, perhaps it just wasn’t a good choice for an audiobook, but the structure of the book was too weak for me to learn or remember anything more than a few isolated facts or stories, I could not pick up on a unifying thesis.
July 19, 2025
A Bit Laborious
No doubt Pascal was a brilliant man. If he had lived longer he would have left an even greater impact. Sadly this book doesn't contribute much to knowing him better. It was difficult reading at times. I don't think I know Pascal any better than before I started the book.
No doubt Pascal was a brilliant man. If he had lived longer he would have left an even greater impact. Sadly this book doesn't contribute much to knowing him better. It was difficult reading at times. I don't think I know Pascal any better than before I started the book.
May 23, 2024
Merely ok
December 2, 2025
<3pascal
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews