Believe

At a time when strange things are happening, a time when even notorious atheists are willing to call themselves cultural Christians, there are some amazing opportunities for unexpected conversations between Christians and those outside the faith. That's where Ross Douthat's book is so useful. Like a modern-day Greek apologist, he makes a gentle and thoughtful case for religion in general and Christianity in particular. Christian readers will be helped both by his style and content to discuss their faith with the curious, and the curious will find much to make them think. And all of this comes with Douthat's customary clarity, wit, and precision. * Carl R. Trueman, Grove City College * If you are exhausted by the arid desert island of secular disenchantment, thirsting for transcendence but doubtful of your capacity to find God, reading Ross Douthat's Believe is like discovering a bridge to hope. Though he's a convinced Christian (who explains why in his luminous final chapter), Douthat's goal here to make basic theism more reasonable than atheism, and embracing a religious life engaged with a particular enduring tradition more sensible than spiritual novelty or moralistic therapeutic deism. Douthat's calm, analytical temperament, his intellectual humility, and his charity toward opponents make him a companionable guide for honest seekers. Believe is not only Ross Douthat's best book but also one that will make a life-changing difference for untold numbers of people trapped in epistemic bondage. For them, Believe is a golden key that will open a cell door that has been locked from the inside. * Rod Dreher, author, Living in Wonder * In his famously readable style, Ross Douthat makes a persuasive case for traditional religious belief, one perfectly attuned to our cultural moment. Recognizing that the aggressive antireligious polemics of the New Atheists have worn thin, Douthat provides a road map for assessing 'the God question' that will appeal to those who may lament the loss of a religious foundation for culture (and their own lives), but who cannot get over the line to personal belief. By highlighting new scientific discoveries that reveal a deep, underlying order and design in the universe and aspects of common experience that we often take for granted, Douthat shows that theism explains signposts to ultimate reality that the popular default worldview of secular materialism does not. Using an accessible commonsense style of reasoning, Douthat renders plausible and compelling what many today assume is implausible and untenable: traditional religious belief. A powerful, highly readable, commonsense guide to the most pressing questions of human existence. * Stephen C. Meyer, author, Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind behind the Universe * Ross Douthat reveals how the growing ignorance of Christianity has created a void in modern life. With sharp clarity, he shows that the absence of faith isn't neutral, it's a loss that reshapes identity and the way the world is understood. This is an invitation to rediscover what has been overlooked. * Luke Burgis, author, Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life * Self-recommending. Some would say God recommends it too. * Tyler Cowen, author, The Great Stagnation * With characteristic rigor, clarity, and wit, Ross Douthat makes the case that being religious is, on balance, the most reasonable response to the intelligibility, mystery, joy, and sheer gratuity of existence. In these pages, he elevates our societal discourse about religion in a way that is disarming and helpful. If you are a thoughtful atheist, agnostic, or general skeptic, read this book. Its challenging insights will, at the very least, sharpen your thinking. And if you, like me, are a believer with doubts, surrounded by those who find traditional religious faith preposterous, read this book. It not only will engage your mind and strengthen your convictions but may even lead you into wonder and worship. * Tish Harrison Warren, Anglican priest; former New York Times newsletter writer; author, Liturgy of the Ordinary and Prayer in the Night *