Our present age has brought many new and exciting developments, yet it has certainly changed the way we act, behave, and think. Thanks to information overload and the fact that religion is no longer a default setting for people, doubt is more common for Christians. Rightly, we have questions about how to reconcile the views of our faith with the world.
A received a free advanced copy of Doubtless in exchange for an honest review. If you order through the links provided, I get a small commission of the purchase.
Re-Defining Doubt
But what do we do with doubt? Historically, churches have been prone to squish doubt and demand unwavering allegiance to the faith. However, in some progressive Christian circles today, doubt is celebrated and encouraged. Shelby Abbott takes neither approach. His book Doubtless: Because Faith is Hard paves a Biblically-conscious middle approach to doubt. The presence of doubt is not something to fear, but nor is it something to be celebrated. Doubt is a part of our reality, but it doesn’t mean we need to let it stay and grow.
Abbott’s book is a unique resource in that it trains a Christian how to properly approach doubt. It is not itself an apologetic resource–though it includes a few reasons to belief sprinkled in. Abbott surveys Biblical literature for examples of doubters and explains how the opposite of faith is unbelief not doubt. The book is a theological primer on doubt but is not without practical examples and practical tips.
I found most helpful the reminder that while doubt is okay, as a Christian, we have an obligation to do something about that doubt. We can’t just say “Well, this argument against God has no answer” when we have never or barely looked for an answer. He encourages not just looking at resources but engaging with the Christian community for both answers and comfort when doubts arise. It frustrates me to no end when someone here’s an internet troll mention an argument against the faith and then a person’s faith is shattered–as if no Christian in the last 2,000 years has ever thought on that issue before.
But Doubtless also reminded me that faith isn’t just about assenting to theological propositions. Sometimes people can doubt God who know all about God because they haven’t truly experienced God. Experiencing the fullness of faith isn’t just knowing the right stuff but in doing the right stuff–engaging in church, being discipled by wise mentors, worshiping God, diving into Scripture, ect. The road to unbelief (in my words) is paved with people who have never embraced the spiritual and transcendent side of Christianity.
Who is Doubtless For?
Doubtless is doubtlessly a book for young adults, especially college students. The author, Shelby Abbot, has spent 20 years in campus ministry dealing with young students. This is his niche, and he is clear about writing this book for that age group.
However, based on my experience in college ministry and working with young adults, I’d say this book is especially good for Freshmen. Doubts can form at any life stage, but the earlier this book gets in someone’s hands the better! The intention of Doubtless is very much to teach people how to doubt well and it will be most effective before any major doubts surface. Yet at the same time, it might help if a person has some experience with doubts so they know to take the book to heart. I myself was one of those self-confident freshmen who never doubted God or the Bible and couldn’t see how anyone else could do such a thing. I believe I would have nodded after this book and thought something like “that’s nice–but it’s more for someone else.”
Thus, ministers or parents who want to gift this book (which I recommend) should do so with discernment. Remember, it’s not an answer book; it’s a primer on doubting. It’s an inoculation but not against doubting in general, but against doubting that leads to unbelief.
The book was not written to a minister, but it gave me many tools on how to guide others through the process of doubt. Personally, I’d love to do a class over the book with my college ministry. Young people, who because of their age and generation come face to face with opposition toward Christianity, NEED this info!
Some Shortcomings
“Chapter Six: Counting the Cost” is the weakest chapter. Its premise is that you are better off a Christian than an atheist because Christianity provides meaning and atheism doesn’t. While I agree with the basic premise, it strikes me as needing a lot of unpacking. First off, what does “meaning” mean? I’m also tired of the argument against atheism that says that atheists are “unfilled” and there is something “missing in their life” and they have “no standards for morality.”
In that chapter, it does not take into account that non-Christians develop some kind of system for living that often can meet their needs. I firmly believe God’s standard is best and that we were created to live in community with God. However, let’s not kid ourselves and say that every atheist is secretly unhappy, unfulfilled, and making up their morality as they go. It strikes as empty when anyone can turn to an atheist and say “They are happy.”I will grant the author this–the book isn’t supposed to be an apologetic argument for the faith–but this reasoning just seems like a fear tactic.
As another “shortcoming,” while I have no problem with the man, Abbott quotes Tim Keller A LOT. None of what Keller says is off base, but so much of the work is overwhelmingly centered around a Keller quote or a Keller concept. I would have appreciated seeing more sources utilized. Keller no doubt has a way with words so I understand wanting to repeat his language, but it would be nice to see evidence that the author consulted commentaries by more scholars when discussing texts and theology.
There is one major area of doubt I would have liked Abbott to briefly cover. The book never addresses what I see as one of the most common doubts Christians have, one major reason people leave the faith. Is Christianity actually good? I see a disillusionment with faith because some of the most notable Christian leaders often miss the mark with their character, rhetoric, political allegiances, and values. I would have liked to see this unique kind of doubt explored.
Final Thoughts
Doubtless is a fine work that I highly recommend to young adult Christians and the leaders who mentor them. Abbott does a great job explaining that doubt isn’t bad, yet it shouldn’t run our lives. Many Christians have grown up in an environment that squelches questions or just gives pat answers to them. Doubtless challenges traditional assumptions about doubt, recognizing that it doesn’t spell our doom. I think this can be a great encouragement for young people in their faith journey who might have questions. The book also gives practical tool so that when doubt arises, faithful followers have an initial game plan.
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