Suprised by Doubt

Suprised by Doubt by Joshua Gathrow and Jack Carson has an audience, and I think that audience is a very specific niche. And I’m afraid I have to say I’m not entirely in that niche, which is why this book mostly wasn’t what I was looking for though the ending more than made up for it. It’s hard to rate a book that can bring much peace and understanding to others but 90% didn’t do much for me personally, so I’ll try to describe why it failed for me and what the intended audience is.

I think this book would be perfect for people still in the evangelical/calvinist fundamentalist world, and are doubting whether it’s true. If you’re fed up with the same answers and how you need to fake happiness, and you’re basically disillusioned with faith as it is.

This is a beginner friendly introduction on how to find renewed faith after being disillusioned with the fundamentalistic worldview. There are lots of examples of historical figures and what they thought which is really interesting and makes you realise these doubts are of all the ages. The authors take you in depth with the problems of evangelicalism and want to offer a more basic faith. It doesn’t have anything to offer on progressive christianity or other paths like agnosticism or spirituality, in fact they make cases against it, but they want to stay true to the original meaning of christianity, one of love and meaning and mystery and justice.

For me, I’m a little further along my journey. I’ve rediscovered the meaning of faith, know all the arguments, know my CS Lewis quotes, read a ton, and am still very much doubting christianity is real. For me, this book was written from “the attic” of fundamentalism with arguments I’ve heard before so often they fall flat to me. I don’t have the mindset of a christian anymore to agree with a lot of the statements.

I feel like the authors are making a case using the same evangelistic apologetics they dislike… I’ve definitely heard it before and even used it myself when I was a fundamentalist. The assumption that people are selfish is one I definitely don’t share. The idea that justice is a sign that christianity is true, doesn’t ring true, as there are lots of other explanations why we crave justice.

There is a lot on open spirituality, where it is explained how hollow and self righteous it is compared to christianity, which apparently has a fixed set of rules to believe that makes all the difference, felt very condescending and didn’t make me see at all how christianity (aside from those fixed rules) is any different from open spirituality.

Aside from that, I did like the other information offered. The book is easy to read, it has a nice flow and keeps the interest - and is also quite short which I like. There is a clear structure and narrative. I did have trouble with my concentration in the long middle though, but that’s because I already know most of the information being given - and I kept thinking of counterarguments. I did like what the middle was trying to do, provide a counterargument to leaving christianity, but I just heard it before and it just wasn’t for me. I kept reading because it’s an arc, and it was worth it because the last part was very interesting and really helped me gain another perspective. I have no idea if it’s enough but maybe it’ll be one day.

I received an e-arc through Netgalley, thanks to the publisher, but it hasn’t influenced my opinions.