The God I Don't Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith

Written by Christopher J. H. Wright and John R. W. Stott

Narrated by Christopher J. H. Wright

Many Christians believe that they have to understand everything about their faith for that faith to be genuine. This isn't true.

There are many things we don't understand about God, His Word, and His works. And this is actually one of the greatest things about the Christian faith: that there are areas of mystery that lie beyond the keenest scholarship or even the most profound spiritual exercises. Sadly, for many people these problems raise so many questions and uncertainties that faith itself becomes a struggle.

But questions, and even doubts, are part of faith.

Chris Wright encourages us to face the limitations of our understanding and to acknowledge the pain and grief they can often cause. In The God I Don't Understand, he focuses on four of the most mysterious subjects in the Bible and reflects upon why it's important to ask questions without having to provide the answer:

1. The problem of evil and suffering.
2. The genocide of the Canaanites.
3. The cross and the crucifixion.
4. The end of the world. 

 

"However strongly we believe in divine revelation, we must acknowledge both that God has not revealed everything and that much of what he has revealed is not plain. It is because Dr. Wright confronts biblical problems with a combination of honesty and humility that I warmly commend this book." —John Stott

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Jan 6, 2009
• ISBN: 9780310300564

Christopher J. H. Wright

Dr. Christopher J. H. Wright is Global Ambassador for the Langham Partnership International. His many books include Hearing the Message of Ecclesiastes, Hearing the Message of Daniel, Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament, Old Testament Ethics for the People of God, Deuteronomy (Understanding the Bible Commentary), Salvation Belongs to Our God, The Mission of God, The God I Don't Understand, and The Mission of God's People. Chris and his wife Liz, who have four adult children and eleven grandchildren, live in London, UK, and belong to All Souls Church, Langham Place.

Reviews for The God I Don't Understand

[ruthjoec · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An interesting book that explores evil and suffering, the Canaanites and why they were conquered by the Israelites, the cross and the end of the world

[hopsakee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Liked it. Wright adresses some serious issues. Two negative points, suffering and the slaughter of the canaanites, and two positive point, the cross and the youngest day. Don't hope that Wright will explain the how and why and whereto of these issues. He doesn't know either and he's honest about that. I think nobody in his right mind can think he can solves this issues. But Wright does explain why some explanations fall short and sometimes are even dangerously unhealthy. Wright also explains what he thinks he understands. I like that a lot. Accept you don't understand it completely, but also accept you don't have to be in the dark completely. For Wright his believe in God isn't hampered by these big questions. That's also the axiom of this book. So, it's written for christians, don't expect apologetics. Which I did.