9) Faith & Doubt – John Ortberg (Christian Living)

From page 23: “Perhaps great believers and great doubters are more like each other than either group is like the great mass of relatively disinterested middle-grounders. Bother are preoccupied with understanding the nature of the universe. Both agree that this is, after all, the great question.”

Indeed. I’m glad Ortberg took the time to write a book like this, because faith & doubt do co-exist, and few people realize or recognize that both have a place. Ortberg’s book discusses what roles faith & doubt play in his life, in our lives, in the world around us… and explains why we need to listen to doubters and discuss things intelligently, not just argue with them.

I like the way Ortberg phrases it at the beginning of the book, which to me, set up the discussion to follow: “I must have truth. Therefore I doubt. If I did not doubt, I’d be just another one of those suckers that P.T. Barnum was so grateful get born once a minute; I’d fall for every carnival sideshow delusion that comes along. And I scorn delusion. I must have hope. Therefore I believe. If I did not believe, I would cave into despair. And I dread despair.”

Review: 3 coffees out of 5

Tags: books