Doubting: Growing Through the Uncertainties of Faith

by Alister E. McGrath, Ravi Zacharias (Foreword by)

We live in a culture that doubts everything as a matter of principle. In such an environment, how can even faith be immune to doubt? Can I really trust in the gospel? Does God really love me? Can I really be of any use to God? We are taught to doubt but commanded to believe. Somehow we think that admitting to doubt is tantamount to insulting God. But doubt is not a sign of spiritual weakness--rather it's an indication of spiritual growing pains. Alister McGrath, no stranger to a faith born of doubt, here offers good news to doubters: your faith can grow, and strengthen as it grows. It needs to take root in your experience of God, it needs to take in the nourishment of instruction in the words and ways of God, it needs to be stretched into greater obedience to the commands and calling of God--but it can grow beyond doubt into a thriving relationship.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christianity, Christian Living, Spirituality, Atheism, Religion

156 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2006

About the author

Alister Edgar McGrath is a Northern Irish theologian, priest, intellectual historian, scientist, and Christian apologist. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, and is Professor of Divinity at Gresham College. He was previously Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at King's College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture, Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Oxford, and was principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, until 2005. He is an Anglican priest and is ordained within the Church of England.

Aside from being a faculty member at Oxford, McGrath has also taught at Cambridge University and is a Teaching Fellow at Regent College. McGrath holds three doctorates from the University of Oxford, a DPhil in Molecular Biophysics, a Doctor of Divinity in Theology and a Doctor of Letters in Intellectual History.

McGrath is noted for his work in historical theology, systematic theology, and the relationship between science and religion, as well as his writings on apologetics. He is also known for his opposition to New Atheism and antireligionism and his advocacy of theological critical realism. Among his best-known books are The Twilight of Atheism, The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist Fundamentalism and the Denial of the Divine, Dawkins' God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life, and A Scientific Theology. He is also the author of a number of popular textbooks on theology.

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has struggled with doubt, I found this book very helpful. Some people view doubt as shameful and disloyal to our faith while others become preoccupied with doubt. Both of these approaches are unhelpful. Instead, McGrath argues that doubt is not necessarily a symptom of spiritual weakness, but an indication of spiritual growing pains. With kindly insight, he writes, "For, seen properly, doubt is not a threat to faith but a reminder of how fragile a hold we have on our knowledge of God- and how gracious God is in having revealed himself to us" (pg. 148).

McGrath takes a good look at what doubt is and isn't. Doubt is not skepticism or unbelief, but is "asking questions or voicing uncertainties from the standpoint of faith (pg. 14). Doubt is not only found in the Christian faith. People of all worldviews search for absolute certainty, and this search will inevitably fail because no one knows important things such as divinity, human nature, and our destiny with absolute certainty. Whether you are a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or atheist, you will probably encounter doubt when your search for absolute certainty fails.

McGrath also looks at some of the personal and emotional aspects of doubt. Often doubt arises from a broken background. Sometimes doubt in God arises from a doubting of ourselves. Sometimes it comes from a desire to serve two masters and being unwilling to break with one. Other times, doubt simply indicates a lack of trust.

No matter where doubt arises from, it should be conquered. One helpful tip for the battle is not to focus on doubt or on overcoming it. "Instead, get to work on renewing, deepening and consolidating your faith in God (pg. 122). Work on strengthening spiritual disciplines, and make sure to put doubt in proper perspective.

Doubt often comes during periods of suffering or spiritual dryness. In these times, God may seem absent. In reality, He is working in a hidden and mysterious way to transform your situation in a totally unexpected way. We often forget this because we do not see the big picture. Near the end of the book, McGrath encourages those experiencing doubt and suffering to see their experience in the same way the apostles came to see the crucifixion of Jesus. He writes,
"Just as faith sees the crucifixion in terms of the resurrection, so we must view the perplexities of the world in the light of its future transformation into the New Jerusalem" (pg. 147).

[Chuck Bonadies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those familiar with Alister McGrath will not be surprised to find Doubting both pastoral and educational. As always, the author's style is easy to read and heartwarming. Equally helpful is the manner in which he ties in the great traditions and theologians of the past.

In this book McGrath addresses some common doubts of Christians, not unbelievers. These doubts range from uncertainties about the Bible, the Gospel, yourself, Christ and God. Most will find his comments on the benefits of doubt and how to handle doubt refreshing. Those looking for a deeper philosophical look at doubt will not find Doubting too beneficial. But I recommend this book to the average person in the pew.

[Michael Culbertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comfortable, informal style that still feels of solid thinking. After an exploration of some truths about what doubt and certainty are and are not, McGrath lays out four principal kinds of doubts that people have in Christianity (about the gospel, ourselves, Jesus, and God) and gives some encouragement to those dealing with each. He concludes with some practical suggestions for responding to and weathering seasons of doubt. Practical and encouraging, this book offers guideposts for those trying to find their way in the dark.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there was a 3.5 marker. While it is overall a decent read, I found much of the first few chapters fairly surface level. It may be helpful for a new Christian, but not one who has wrestled with the questions in depth already. However, the last two chapters in the book, 10 "Doubt: How to Handle It" and 11 "Doubt: Putting it in Perspective" make the book worthwhile and are 5 stars on there own. Not a bad read at all, but the first 9 didn't quite live up to the final 2 chapters.

[Chongwon Park · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is nicely written and easy to read, and relatively well-argued. One problem I can see is that the arguments in this book are based on the assumption that the stories in the Bible are all facts with solid historicity. This book reminds of C. S. Lewis's works. Good if the Bible is right. The question is "what if the Bible does not have historicity?"

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty surface. A few thought provoking ideas but more for the guy who's just having some "feeling" issues rather than someone who's really plunging into deep questions. I would have expected more from McGrath, who's a fairly renound scholar and apologist, having taken on the likes of Hitchens and Dawkins in debates.

[k.wing · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was hoping for.

If you are new to Christianity and having doubts, and want to be convinced or argued into Christianity, then this is the book for you.

[Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it a great resource for helping those who struggle with their faith.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good intro to doubt; encouragement for someone first encouraging doubt about their faith and not knowing what to do.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, not great. I used this a source material for a lecture on Hebrews 2. It is a good way through doubt into taking purposeful steps to increasing faith.

[Chet Duke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for christians or skeptics that struggle with faith. It is very readable and intended for a lay audience, which is great.

[Angeline Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book years ago and only got round to reading it. A great read for anyone who is in a season of doubt.
In summary-
Sin causes us to challenge the promises of God and to mistrust Him,
Faith is our willingness to trust God(vine/branches)- break that link and the branches wither and then sin is able to regain its former hold over us
We are justified in the eyes of God at conversion
But because sanctification is a process we face doubts along the way. But we need to make sure we don’t make either mistake of suppressing our doubts and not dealing with them, or getting lost in the questions without coming to answers- because there absolutely are solid answers.
Doubt can arise partly because we feel frustrated at not being able to understand everything. We believe Jesus has been on the road before us but we don’t understand exactly what is going on at points-fellowship, prayer, getting in Gods word, remembering feelings are a poor indicator of closeness to God. Don’t get too busy for God.
The analogy of the parable of the sower... let the word fall on good soil and yield a crop 100 fold. The fact that we have doubts to begin with is a sign that the seed has been sown in our hearts. The disciples would have felt excruciating doubt at the crucifixion. We aren’t the first. Lastly, the power of apologetics to give reason for our faith and keep growing 1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

[Sheri-lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think there are some simple truths here. I don't love his use of exclamation points !

For some reason I never thought of this before and for some reason it warmed my soul to think about it:

"From [the upper room] a very small group of people went out to convert the world -- a seemingly impossible mission. Yet your faith can be traced back to that upper room. You have a spiritual family tree, which connects you with someone who was there in that upper room on that momentous occasion. Through the faithfulness of that person, and those who followed him or her, you came to faith. That remarkable fact points to the power of the gospel to reach down through the ages, across both centuries and continents."

[Marc Plazola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book that addresses a believer's intellectual doubts. My only disappointment was that McGrath did not spend more time on biblical exegesis of passages that address doubt. Overall though, I highly recommend this book.

[Jennifer Barten · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of good points but was slow to get through.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intellectual approach to the issue of doubt, a necessary component of faith.

[Sosthener De · Rating 5 out of 5]

Não é um livro acadêmico e nem pretensioso. Uma reflexão sensível e acolhedora a todos os que crêem mas alimentam dúvidas.