Finding God in the Questions

by Johnson, G. Timothy

• ISBN13: 9780830833474
• ISBN10: 0830833471
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-02-10
• Publisher: Ivp Books

Summary

Named one of the 2004 Top Ten Religious Books by the Massachusetts Bible Society!#8 on theNew York TimesHardcover Advice Bestseller List! (June 14, 2004)#7 on thePublishers WeeklyReligion Hardcover Bestseller List (October 2004)Do you wonder whether or not God is real?Do you doubt that religion can be relevant?Do you wish that faith were possible for you?Don't shy away from your questions, says Dr. Timothy Johnson, medical editor for ABC News. He believes that's where God meets you--in the midst of honest grappling with heartfelt issues. In this remarkable book, Dr. Johnson discloses his deeply personal journey of faith. With the same keen mind accustomed to medical and scientific examination, he investigates the plausibility of God's existence and explores the significance of the person of Jesus. Despite all the difficulties of faith, he explains what he believes and why. He writes,"As a physician, I have committed my professional life to healing and wellness. But my public work is only a small part of who I really am--or rather, who I want to be. This book is, in a sense, 'the rest of the story.'"For many people, religion provides answers to the big questions of life. For others, the absolute claims of religion raise more questions than they answer. I have lived on both sides--and in some senses, I still do. My path of faith has wandered through both doubt and belief, often at the same time."Doubt doesn't have to tear down belief, however; it can purify it. When it does, the beliefs on the other side become more certain. This is why I would like to affirm that it is possible to find God even while you are still asking the big questions."Come join a fellow pilgrim on the journey. Ask your questions--and perhaps find God behind them.This new paperback edition includes a new afterword and a study guide with questions for personal reflection or group discussion.

Author Biography

Dr. Timothy Johnson (M.D., M.P.H.) serves as assisting minister of the Community Covenant Church in West Peabody, Massachusetts

Table of Contents

Preface	9	(2)
Acknowledgments	11	(4)
SECTION ONE: Does God Exist?
Why Do the Questions Keep Coming?	15	(12)
Is the Universe an Accident?	27	(16)
How Did We Get Here?	43	(18)
Who Are We?	61	(14)
SECTION TWO: What Is God Like?
Why Bother with Religion and the Bible?	75	(20)
What Did Jesus Teach?	95	(24)
Who Was Jesus?	119	(30)
SECTION THREE: What Difference Does It Make?
How Should Faith Shape Our Lives?	149	(20)
Is God in Control?	169	(14)
Can We Bet on the Heart of God?	183	(12)
Epilogue	195	(6)
Afterword	201	(4)
Suggested Reading	205	(8)
Study Guide	213	(12)
Notes	225	(4)
Bibliography	229