Faith & Doubt by John Ortberg
Non-fiction: Christianity. Unabridged Audio from Zondervan. Published 2008. Read by the author. 4 hours, 46 minutes. Audio from Audible.com (also purchased a hardcover copy from Martel in Lewisville).
John Ortberg is one of my favorite Christian authors. His books have always struck me as being very real; the voice he uses is very conversational and easy to understand. I never have to go back and reread a paragraph for comprehension, though I often want to go back and reread his paragraphs to be sure that I let the sentiment implant itself in my consciousness. As much as I appreciate his writing, his narration of the audiobook left a bit to be desired as far as I was concerned. It wasn’t so bad I couldn’t listen to it, but it was awkward enough in some places that I was not able to just listen because I was distracted by the poor reading (choppy flow, odd words emphasized in the sentence, etc.). In my opinion, a good narrator makes you forget you are listening to someone read. It just didn’t happen with this recording.
The book itself is excellent. Having often been in circles where no one would ever admit to doubts, it is refreshing to see someone willing to say that doubts happen and are not a sign you are somehow a substandard follower of Christ. I’d suggest this book if you are doubting, but I’d also suggest it if you are not.
Publisher’s Summary:
What if the most important word is the one in the middle?
We often think of doubt as the opposite of faith, but could it actually strengthen our relationship with God? According to John Ortberg, best-selling author and pastor, the very nature of faith requires the presence of uncertainty. In this refreshingly candid look at a life of faith, he traces the line between belief and unbelief: less a dividing line between hostile camps than a razor’s edge that runs through every soul. His findings point us toward the relief of being totally honest. Questions can expand our understanding, uncertainty can lead to trust, and honest faith can produce outrageous hope. Written from Ortberg’s own struggle with faith and doubt, this book will challenge, comfort, and inspire you with the truth that God wants all of us—including our doubt.
If you would prefer a hardcopy, it’s available here:
Faith and Doubt
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