In his book Despite Doubt: Embracing A Confident Faith, Michael E. Wittmer sets out to counter the popular myth that faith is stepping blindly into the unknown. Real faith, he says, is based more on what we know than what we don’t. He makes his argument about faith and doubt within the realm of believing in the Bible and the tenets of the Christian faith.

Wittmer tackles this challenge in a two-pronged way, dividing the book into two parts. In Part One—“Belief In God”—he analyzes skepticism and shows how a belief in the existence of God is not only credible but that it is virtually impossible to live consistently as if no God existed. Some of the titles of chapters in this section give us a sense of his range of topics: “God,” “Jesus,” “Bible,” “Belief,” “Disciplines,” and “Faith.”

Part Two—“Following God”—deals with the nitty gritty of living out one’s faith. In chapters such as “Trust,” “Faithfulness,” “Promise,” “Call,” “Assurance,” and more, he deals with issues like how do we know we’re hearing from God? What sets us apart as people of faith? How can we have assurance of Salvation? Who are heroes of faith?

Wittmer says much that is practical and applicable to everyday life. Here are some of his useful insights that I underlined:

From the chapter “Unbelief” (Part 1):

“We must always be at least a little suspicious of doubt, for while not all doubt is sin, all doubt does come from sinners. Sinners have an ax to grind. We are not morally neutral. We have a vested interest in disproving Jesus, for if He is Lord, then we can’t be” – p. 86, 87.

“If we plan to continue our rebellion, we’ll need to conceal our sin beneath a thick smoke screen of intellectual problems” – p. 89.

From the chapter “Trust” (Part 2):

“Every act of willing obedience comes down to trust” – p. 109.

From the chapter “Jump”:

“Faith starts from assurance and proceeds to risk. … Counterfeit faith starts from uncertainty and leaps for assurance” – p. 115.

From the chapter “Fruit”:

“Faith means to commit to what we know and what we know for sure is what God has revealed in Scripture” p. 145.

Though I did enjoy the book, at the deepest level it left me unstirred somehow. Perhaps that’s because it downplayed the possibility of hearing from God personally and glossed over the Holy Spirit-empowered lifestyle pictured in the early church of the New Testament. Rather, Wittmer seems content with a towing-the-line, status quo faith that plods on dutifully following the Bible but lacks the warmth of personal friendship with God:

“Comfort can easily become an idol that we pursue above God, but a comfortable, middle-class existence is not necessarily an indication of sin. It may simply mean we’re prudent. Paul never commanded Christians to take radical risks for God ... Rather than focus on how much we’re risking for God, we should concentrate on God’s promises and commands” – pp. 169,170.

Despite my reservations, I would say Despite Doubt is a worthwhile read. It would be a valuable addition to the library of apologists, pastors, teachers, and anyone dealing with seekers, especially if they’re of a philosophical bent. A study guide with three questions per chapter is included at the end of the book, making Despite Doubt a good choice for study groups.

I received Despite Doubt as a gift from the publisher for the purpose of writing a review.
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Despite Doubt is a forthcoming work by Michael Wittmer that aims to deal with the discussion about the role of doubt in the Christian's faith. I am not sure if the timing of its release is strategic or Providential, or a bit of both, but it serves as a great counterpoint to Gregg Boyd's latest work, The Benefit of Doubt.


Wittmer is Professor of Systematic Theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, where he also directs the Center for Christian Worldview. He is the authored multiple books including Heaven Is a Place on Earth, which is on my “to be read” list.

Wittmer sets out to argue against the idea that faith is a leap into the unkown, that it is as Elizabeth Gilbert puts it:
Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark. If we truly knew all the answers in advance as to the meaning of life and the nature of God and the destiny of our souls, our belief would not be a leap of faith and it would not be a courageous act of humanity; it would just be... a prudent insurance policy.
This false dichotmomy that pits faith agaisnt knowledge is a large portion of what Wittmer addresses. He argues against the idea that risk, rather than simply accompanying faith, is the essence of faith. Scripture nowhere commands or affirms a faith as a "blind leap" and Wittmer presents a formidable case agaisnt this notion. Wittmer affirms the Reformation tri-fold formulation of faith(notia, assensus, and fiducia) where faith is knowledge of God and His salvation, acknowledging that the case presented in Scriptures is objectively true, and wholeheartedly trusting this truth. He quotes the Heidelberg Catechism that "(t)rue faith is not only a knowledge and conviction that everything God reveals in his word true, it is also a hearty trust."

Witmer's work is a pleasant blend of exegesis, philosophy, and apologetics. It is a helpful and sincere look into the topic of faith and doubt. It is simultaneously theological and practical, utilizing Scripture, arguments, and real life anecdotes to make the point that faith is trusting in what we know rather than a blind leap into the unknown.

Despite Doubt features a wide variety of topics, concise chapters, a clear and engaging style of writing, and a respect of and submission to God's word as our ultimate source of truth and knowledge.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley.com for review purposes. ( )