The Hopeful Skeptic

Revisiting Christianity from the Outside

By Nick Fiedler

(paperback)

Product Details

Line: Likewise
Length: 175 pages
Size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches
Binding: paperback
Published: November 2009

ISBN-10: 0-8308-3727-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-8308-3727-4
IVP Order Code: 3727

Related Subjects

Discipleship
Memoir

"In The Hopeful Skeptic Nick Fiedler unbuckles his Bible belt, takes off the armor of Christ and unpacks the preconceptions that defined the faith of his childhood. In his newfound nakedness, he dons his faith flip-flops and joins countless pilgrims before him on a journey to see where God may be speaking to him today. Other spiritual seekers can find solace in Nick's story as they realize they are not alone in their doubts and questions."

"Nick Fiedler is a spiritual anthropologist with a specialty in evangelicalism. On this road trip he picks up some artifacts of Christianity (prayer, Scripture, beliefs) and turns them over in his hand. Unfettered by beliefism, Nick relishes the luxury of ruthless honesty and thoughtfully reports his findings. If you've got the urge to travel to new places in your spiritual thought life, read this book."

"Over 150 years ago, Tennyson said it tenderly, as poets often do: 'There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.' With those words, Tennyson stepped above both blind faith and religion-bashing to make an observation that still needs to be heard today. Nick Fiedler does something similar in these pages--engages with honest doubt (that's the skeptic part) in hopes of finding a better faith (that's the hopeful part). I hope many people will read his words with the tenderness they deserve to be read with, and I hope many people will, motivated by Nick's example, pursue the kind of faith that is widened and deepened by honest doubt, for that is good faith indeed."

"His wit and accessible writing style make it easy for a skeptical reader to follow through to the end. As a young man himself, Fiedler is very good at connecting with the reader through metaphors, personal anecdotes and engaging language. It works well as a jumping point for anyone who might be looking to widen his or her perspective on faith, humanity and life in general."