In God we doubt - John Humphrys

A book by an agnostic appears to have as much use as banging your head against a brick wall – running through the God-debate to conclude that the author… just doesn’t know.

Journalist John Humphrys has made a genuine attempt to find God, but seems unable to accept Christian explanations to the problems of suffering and free will.

For Christian readers, this book serves as a thought-provoking push to question their own opinion of these issues – which can’t be ignored if they are to satisfactorily explain their faith to non-believers.

Because the author has no agenda, he illustrates the arguments for and against God with subtleties that can be brushed over by other writers at extreme ends of the faith spectrum. The book is a mix of real-life human scenarios, philosophy, interviews with different religious leaders and feedback from listeners of Humphrys’ radio show – ‘Humphrys in search of God’.

Agnostics will find a sympathetic voice, and possibly some inspiration, as Humphrys’ search is more rigourous than the effort made by many agnostics.

Perhaps the most unsettling question is why the author has not been granted faith after praying for 50-odd years.

But as one listener notes, “Doubt is not the opposite of faith, doubt is faith struggling. If there wasn’t room for doubt we would be overwhelmed by God – our freedom would be gone and we would be puppets who believed because we could do nothing else.”

In God We Doubt – confessions of a failed atheist, is available from most mainstream bookstores.