Alister McGrath, Doubting:
Growing through the Uncertainties of Faith. IVP Books, 2006.
C.S. Lewis wrote of his struggle with doubt in a
Christmas Eve letter to Arthur Greeves:
“I think the trouble with me is lack of faith. I have no rational
ground for going back on the arguments that convinced me of God’s
existence: but the irrational deadweight of my old skeptical habits, and the
spirit of this age, and the cares of the day, steal away all my lively feeling
of the truth, and often when I pray I wonder if I am not posting letters to a
non-existent address. Mind you I don’t think
so—the whole of my reasonable mind is convinced: but I often feel so” (9).
McGrath
explains in this book “what doubt is and how it arises” (11). He discusses many
different types of doubt that young Christians faces. This book is intended for
the young Christian believer in college who will struggle with intellectual
challenges to Christianity while in college. McGrath is well qualified to
address this topic since he is actively involved in speaking on many college
campuses and debating some of the leading atheists in the world. In addition,
he was once an atheist who converted to Christianity while in college. McGrath
insists that doubt “is an invitation to grow in faith and understanding, rather
than something we need to panic about or get preoccupied with” (12).
In
chapter one McGrath discusses what doubt is and “what it isn’t.” The author
insists many Christians avoid talking about doubt. Other Christians “suppress
their doubts” (13). McGrath says that doubt is neither skepticism nor unbelief.
McGrath defines unbelief “as an act of the will, rather than a difficulty in
understanding” (13-14). Doubt “often means asking questions or voicing
uncertainties from the standpoint of faith” (14). “Faith and doubt aren’t
mutually exclusive—but faith and unbelief are” (14). McGrath thinks that doubt
“is probably a permanent feature of the Christian life” (14).
In
chapter two McGrath addresses the search for certainty. He notes, “The things in
life that really matter cannot be proven with certainty—whether they are
ethical values (such as respect for human life), social attitudes (such as
democracy) or religious beliefs (such as Christianity)” (24). McGrath argues
that to believe in God requires faith, “as does the decision not to believe
him” (25). He does not think the existence of God or the non-existence of God
can be proved. McGrath defines faith: “Faith is not belief without proof but
trust without reservations” (25). He believes that both believers and
non-believers struggle with doubt. The author believes there is “indeed a leap
of faith involved in Christianity but it is not an irrational leap in the dark”
(27). He thinks “all outlooks on life, all theories of the meaning on human
existence rest on faith” and cannot be proved. He does not think, however, all views are “equally plausible.”
Christianity cannot be proved with absolute certainty, but Christianity stands
on solid ground in the “reliability of historical foundations, its internal
consistency, its rationality, its power to convert and its relevance to human
existence” (27). McGrath thinks absolute
certainty is an unrealistic expectation and doesn’t deal correctly with human
limitations.
McGrath
thinks that faith contains three elements. First, it is trust in God. McGrath
notes, “It is a confidence in the trustworthiness, fidelity and reliability of
God” (28). Secondly, it is an understanding about God. It is faith seeking
understanding. Third, it is obedience to God. McGrath describes faith as a
growing plant. It must be cultivated. It is “easy to uproot a plant in its
early stages of growth; once it has laid down roots, however, it is much harder
to dislodge it. By failing to allow faith to take root by seriously thinking
about their faith, some Christians make themselves vulnerable to doubt” (29).
Faith is not static; it can grow. Faith needs both experience and understanding
if it is to grow.
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