Theology for the Curious

Ep.142 - Contrast and Comparisons: Faith and Doubt - Irreconcilable enemies or necessary companions?

Pete Goulding

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It was John F. Kennedy who once famously said, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan”. Failure is a thing nobody wants to have or own. Another word the vast majority of Christian people are equally reticent to own, is the word ‘doubt’! Most find it very difficult to see any positive reason for its existence, we often feel weak and shameful when it characterises our Christian experience in any way. Most of us have come to see doubt as our enemy; we find it uncomfortable, disconcerting and frankly, embarrassing! But is doubt really something we ought to fear? Is it really our enemy? What if we came to understand doubt not simply as a distant friend, but a very necessary companion in the growth and development of our faith!

This week Pete and the Curious team not only unpack the stereotypical fears and struggles doubt brings, but seek to reframe and repurpose it, capturing it as something of a catalyst to igniting genuine, reinforced faith. The team express how doubt is not someone we ought to be reluctantly opening the door to, but rather one we ought to be enthusiastically offering entrance. Join the team this week as they repaint doubt and emphasise its place and significance in building strong faith.

Further Reading
Here’s a bit of homework for you….please note, articles are featured here for balance and provocation and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and convictions of the Curious team.…

Faith and Doubt - PhilipYancey.com

Borrowing Faith when Doubt Creeps In - ChristianityToday.com

What we’re reading?
As a feature to our notes, we are adding the book or books that we’d encourage a browse related to this episode. So here goes…enjoy;

Craig Groeschel — The Benefit of Doubt: How Confronting Your Deepest Questions Can Lead to a Richer Faith

Todd Mullins — Don’t Let Doubt Take You Out: Replacing Fear and Doubt with Faith and Truth

Philip Yancey — Disappointment with God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud


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