An Examined Faith: The Grace of Self-Doubt

Rating:
Summary: A Probing and Thoughtful Book
Review: This short book argues a threefold thesis: first, that the same actions, events, texts, or phenomenon are perceived and interpreted from different points of view, e.g., commonsense, biology, theology, etc.; second, that these interpretations take place on several interacting levels, namely, as descriptions, as explanations, as evaluations, and as giving meaning; and third, that the resulting interactions between points of view and levels take three typical forms: rejection, absorption, and accommodation. A recurring motif is that genuine conflict is present and unavoidable, yet interaction continues to be inevitable. Thus accommodation ends up being the most adequate stance both descriptively and normatively. A truly thoughtful and probing book.