When Faith Fails: Finding God in the Shadow of Doubt

Done, pastor of Westside Church in Portland, Ore., insightfully addresses the problem of doubt in the Christian mind in this lucid debut. Done’s way of thinking emerged from a revelation: “It dawned on me that what had been wrong in my heart was my relentless quest for certainty.... I’m learning that sometimes the most liberating words are ‘I don’t know.’ ” He focuses on four sources of doubt among believers: difficult biblical passages, suffering in the world, contradictions between science and scripture, and the silence of God when life hurts. In each instance, Done addresses the questions and provides answers from sometimes unexpected sources (including Nietzsche and quantum physics), always leading back to the productive value of doubting faith. For Done, God’s plan will always overcome one’s doubts and so doubt should be embraced. There is a faithful way to live, he writes, that “doesn’t demonize or idolize doubt but recognizes doubt for what it is: an opportunity for authentic and vibrant faith.” Drawing on his own experiences, the lives of those he has pastored, and characters from literature, Done crafts peaceful meditations that will appeal to Christian readers interested in the intersection between faith and uncertainty. (Feb.)