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.
"In this short book, McGrath's pastoral concern for those struggling with doubt is apparent. His words provide encouragement and hope to continue to pursue faith in God in the midst of doubt."
"Many Christians experience doubt of their faith in the first years after accepting Christ. This book is for them."
"It's a rare thing to find a theologian altogether thorough, brief, and satisfying. Irish author, theologian, and former atheist Alister McGrath offers a manageable first-read on addressing a new believer's doubts."
"McGrath deals intelligently and methodically with the stigmatized subject of doubt, clearly separating it from disbelief."
"How do we contend with opposing worldviews? How do we deal with uncertainty about such fundamental things as God, Jesus Christ and the Bible? How do we deal with doubt about ourselves? All of these and other questions we struggle with on a daily basis are covered in eleven helpful chapters."
"McGrath writes in a conversational manner which makes this book accessible to a wide variety of readers. . . . [A]nyone with questions about the veracity of Christianity should benefit from reading this book."
"McGrath has a knack for giving us a good bird's eye view of broad ideas. For those of us who have lots of questions about God's perplexing interaction with humanity as well as those of us who are just plain skeptics. Doubting invites us to look deeper and to grow 'through the uncertainties of faith.'"
Foreword by Ravi Zacharias
Preface
1. Doubt: What It Is--and What It Isn't
2. Doubt and the Vain Search for Certainty
3. Doubt in Other Worldviews: The Case of Atheism
4. The Personal Aspects of Doubt
5. Doubt in the Bible: Analogies and Images
6. Doubts About the Gospel
7. Doubts About Yourself
8. Doubts About Jesus Christ
9. Doubts About God
10. Doubt: How to Handle It
11. Doubt: Putting It in Perspective
For Further Study