Rating: 
Summary: The Irrationality of Uncertainty
Review: "The Myth of Certainty" by Daniel Taylor encourages the reflective Christian, the one whose faith is such that he is willing to ask the hard questions. Like C. S. Lewis', "A Grief Observed," Taylor is free to acknowledge sometimes he has doubts in the midst of his faith. This paradox, says Taylor, is an indication of great faith, and through this questioning, the Christian can become strong, and more capable of serving God. The reflective Christian, with a tested faith, has a more honest witness.To start the book, Taylor asks 16 questions. Reader of Mark Noll's "The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind," will resonate with many of them, like #4, "Have you ever felt intellectually embarrassed to admit you were a Christian?" Taylor is a literary man, citing writers as far ranging as Hopkins, Eliot, Pascal, and even Lenny Bruce ("People are leaving churches and returning to God"). I suspect his intention was to broaden and challenge readers who might be in accord with the quote, but not the one quoted. He introduces Alex Adamson, a fictitious man who exists to establish anecdotes and parables quite effectively. As Luci Shaw is quoted in a back cover blurb, "I recognize myself on every page." Alex struggles with existentialism, moral choices, and all kinds of philosophical dilemmas common to our modern generation. Taylor is critical of both liberal Christianity's allowal of the secular world to determine their agenda, and of conservative Christianity's too often denial of free thinking. Also, the secular world, he contends, only allows Christianity so long as it doesn't affect your judgments. He dashes off no easy answers, but enters into a compelling dialogue with the reader. Taylor's message in "The Myth of Certainty," is like Mark Twain's in "The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg" that our personal and corporate faith as a Christian needs to be challenged, that it must be reflective, and never arrogantly complacent, lest it be built on sandy soil. The risk of asking -- even as a mature Christian believer -- "What is Truth?" is far less than the risk of ignoring the depth found in discovering truth. I fully recommend this as both personal reading, and in a small group book study context. Anthony Trendl
Rating: 
Summary: Balancing Intellectual Honesty with Christian Commitment
Review: A fascinating, thought-provoking, intellectually honest apologetic for the Christian faith. While clearly elucidating the finitude of the human being and the subsequent impossibility of obtaining certainty, it nevertheless does not epouse the paraylsis of inaction. Probably the best written and interesting explaination that I have read, of the truism that for belief to be belief, it cannot contain absolute knowledge (i.e. certainty). It is comforting to find other Christians who realize that this lack of certainty does not impair or prevent faith in God, but is instead a fundamental part of faith, and even vital and strengthening to it. The Myth of Certainty also does an excellent job of showing how the questioning intellectual Christian often finds himself or herself at odds, both with the conservative church for the very act of questioning, and with the secular, intellectual world of ideas for trying to incorporate into itself, a personal faith (which it incorrectly and illogically presumes to be contradictory); the reflective Christian, a starling with no place to call home. Perhaps its most encouraging element, however, is a balm for the many Christians out there who have been attacked and deeply wounded by the Church or fellow Christians (often, all the more deep a wound because it came from the one place you would not expect it, however naive this may be). The author, clearly having been wounded himself, as have many of us, myself included (especially?), offers a compassionate empathy, while humbly and clear-sightedly reminding us that the Church is comprised merely of humans, with the same struggles, short-comings, and blindspots that each of us undeniably has. In light of this, he urges us not to give up on the Church, but to strive to contribute to it, to help improve it, to make it more of a source of healing and less of a cause for hurt. I deeply enjoyed this book because it helped ease the sense of isolation that I think many reflective Christians feel ("Does anyone in this world understand me?"). While appealing to my sense of intellectual honesty (and perhaps intellectual elitism) on the one hand, it simultaneously humbles me and reminds me that I am just as much a fallen and wretched creature as anyone is, and that inaction is simply not a viable choice. I would suggest this book to anyone that is serious about reflecting deeply and honestly on his or her faith. Attempting to understand that one can believe faith to be absolutely true, without incorrectly claiming to possess this knowledge with certainty.
Rating:
Summary: Balancing Intellectual Honesty with Christian Commitment
Review: A fascinating, thought-provoking, intellectually honest apologetic for the Christian faith. While clearly elucidating the finitude of the human being and the subsequent impossibility of obtaining certainty, it nevertheless does not epouse the paraylsis of inaction. Probably the best written and interesting explaination that I have read, of the truism that for belief to be belief, it cannot contain absolute knowledge (i.e. certainty). It is comforting to find other Christians who realize that this lack of certainty does not impair or prevent faith in God, but is instead a fundamental part of faith, and even vital and strengthening to it. The Myth of Certainty also does an excellent job of showing how the questioning intellectual Christian often finds himself or herself at odds, both with the conservative church for the very act of questioning, and with the secular, intellectual world of ideas for trying to incorporate into itself, a personal faith (which it incorrectly and illogically presumes to be contradictory); the reflective Christian, a starling with no place to call home. Perhaps its most encouraging element, however, is a balm for the many Christians out there who have been attacked and deeply wounded by the Church or fellow Christians (often, all the more deep a wound because it came from the one place you would not expect it, however naive this may be). The author, clearly having been wounded himself, as have many of us, myself included (especially?), offers a compassionate empathy, while humbly and clear-sightedly reminding us that the Church is comprised merely of humans, with the same struggles, short-comings, and blindspots that each of us undeniably has. In light of this, he urges us not to give up on the Church, but to strive to contribute to it, to help improve it, to make it more of a source of healing and less of a cause for hurt. I deeply enjoyed this book because it helped ease the sense of isolation that I think many reflective Christians feel ("Does anyone in this world understand me?"). While appealing to my sense of intellectual honesty (and perhaps intellectual elitism) on the one hand, it simultaneously humbles me and reminds me that I am just as much a fallen and wretched creature as anyone is, and that inaction is simply not a viable choice. I would suggest this book to anyone that is serious about reflecting deeply and honestly on his or her faith. Attempting to understand that one can believe faith to be absolutely true, without incorrectly claiming to possess this knowledge with certainty.
Rating:
Summary: An affirmation
Review: I don't often write reviews for Amazon, but this book touched my life too much to pass on the review form. I suppose that I've always felt caught between a Christian and a secular world, never fitting in to either of them. I went to a very non-Christian high school and had to debate my beliefs continually in every class. Tired of that, I attended a Christian college where I had to do the same. It is so amazing to hear that you are not alone and not ridiculous for feeling like there is so much more to Christianity than you hear from most "normal" Christians. It is good to be affirmed for thinking and questioning. Add that to a wonderfully written manuscript, you get a book that I've had to buy 3 additional copies for lending purposes since I'm not giving mine away.
Rating:
Summary: An affirmation
Review: I don't often write reviews for Amazon, but this book touched my life too much to pass on the review form. I suppose that I've always felt caught between a Christian and a secular world, never fitting in to either of them. I went to a very non-Christian high school and had to debate my beliefs continually in every class. Tired of that, I attended a Christian college where I had to do the same. It is so amazing to hear that you are not alone and not ridiculous for feeling like there is so much more to Christianity than you hear from most "normal" Christians. It is good to be affirmed for thinking and questioning. Add that to a wonderfully written manuscript, you get a book that I've had to buy 3 additional copies for lending purposes since I'm not giving mine away.
Rating:
Summary: The Irrationality of Uncertainty
Review: In recent philosophical literature, one school of thought contends that certainty about anything is unattainable, and that the best that we can achieve is probability. This way of thinking has influenced Christian thought, so that in the fields of Christian apologetics and philosophy, some people now follow the non-Christian philosophers in affirming that certainty is indeed unattainable, and that the best we can do is to draw probable conclusions. Christians faithful to biblical revelation must resist this trend, since if our epistemology is such that we reject the very possibility of certainty outright, then knowledge of all that is Christian is reduced to a matter of probability and not certainty, including the infallibility of Scripture and the resurrection of Christ. I think what has happened is that these Christians do not know HOW to attain or demonstrate the certainty of Christian truths, and therefore they have "wimped out" and settled upon a "lower" position. However, it is this "uncertain" position about knowledge that is impossible. The very idea of probability requires certain knowledge about something, since probability always has a stable reference point -- probable according to what or compared to what? My review on another similar book applies here: "The conclusion of this book is that certainty is an illusion, but that we may have "confidence" about things, and that although this means we may be wrong about anything that we affirm, this "confidence" is nevertheless enough. However, this conclusion is self-refuting. If we are CERTAIN that certainty is an illusion and that it is unattainable, then we are indeed certain about this very thing, which means that certainty is in fact real and attainable. But to be certain that certainty is impossible is self-contradictory, and the conclusion self-destructs. On the other hand, if we are uncertain or merely "confident" that certainty is an illusion or unattainable, then we are uncertain about this very fundamental epistemological principle that certainty is an illusion or unattainable, leaving room for the very opposite conclusion that certainty is indeed real and attainable. If we cannot attain certainty, then it means that we can never even be certain that we are "confident" about something. This generates an infinite regress of steps, reducing the level of "sureness" in each step. Thus I am at most "confident" (but uncertain) that I am "confident" (but uncertain) about something, and "confident" (but uncertain) that I am "confident" (but uncertain) that I am "confident" (but uncertain) about something, and so on -- so that I am uncertain that I am uncertain that I am uncertain...until I cannot even claim "confidence" about anything. But then are we certain about that? As theologians and philosophers like Cornelius Van Til, Greg Bahnsen, Gordon Clark, and Vincent Cheung have shown all NON-CHRISTIAN epistemologies cannot attain certainty about anything at all. Some non-Christian philosophers see this -- that by non-Christian principles they can attain no certainty about anything -- and from this they conclude that no human can attain certainty, without considering Christianity as the first principle that makes knowledge possible. It is a grave mistake, therefore, for the Christian philosopher to follow the non-Christian and assume the same conclusion, and then seek to defend Christiantiy from such an unbiblical position. If there is an invincible epistemolgy derivable from Scripture itself, then why should we listen to Michael Polanyi or anyone else? Who is Michael Polanyi that we must learn from him on how to know God?! Does the Bible itself say that you cannot know anything -- even the existence of God and the resurrection of Christ -- for certain? Or, does it rather say that you MUST know it for certain? Thus -- Job 19:25
25 I KNOW that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
(NIV) 2 Tim 1:12
12 ...I KNOW whom I have believed, and am CONVINCED that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
(NIV) Now, if you are just "confident" and not "certain", are you still a Christian? Or are you at best weak in faith, so that you really have nothing to boast about, and certainly should not defend your uncertainty by appealing to Michael Polanyi?"
Rating: 
Summary: Voice of Reason
Review: My badly tattered hardback copy of Traylor's book bespeaks the use and reuse it has received since I first purchased it in the late 80's. As a graduate student in literature, I long struggled with many of the issues discussed, along with many of my Christian colleagues, and I loaned this book out after numerous conversations in which we shared our frustrations at being "caught in the middle." With this reprint, Traylor, at the very least, can continue to give those like-minded readers a name while addressing our situations. He appeals to the reader's spiritual side, giving voice to many of the frustrations we share and helping to make us feel less isolated; at the same time, he does not neglect the intellectual side, providing us with a rational way of coping with our questions. This is not to say he gives easy answers. With refreshing restraint in a world too full of authors with the solution, Traylor is instead comfortable with providing a thorough discussion of the issue in a clear and readable style. His narrative vignettes are often humerous, and the expository discussions are both reasoned and subtle. Much like his protagonist, Traylor is engaged in a quest for balance, and he shares the experience with us. With the new focus within academe on multicultural education, Traylor's work further helps to elucidate a growing concern: the place of religion of spirituality and religion in the discussion and curriculum. Books such as "Surviving Diversity" and essays such as "The Hollow Curriculm" by Sollod are only now beginning to address issues that Traylor raised far earlier. This book is essential for educators, critics, and anyone committed to Christ yet unsure of the play between his or her faith and reason. While the original book disappeared off my shelf some time ago, victim no doubt of a forgetful colleague, I have often referred back to it in my memory. I am so pleased at this reprint that I'm purchasing two copies--one to lend, but one to keep!
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: The Myth of Certaintly is a desperately needed light within the murky falsness and image consciousness of today's Christianity. This is the book that Philip Yancey wishes he could have written. It challenges the "thinking Cristian" while at the same time relieving him or her of burdens Jesus never intended Christians to carry. Burdens that are self made, self conscious facades that today's church is unfortunately the creator and bearer of. I never give anything a perfect score but this book deserves it. Read it!
Rating:
Summary: Myth misses the mark
Review: The Myth of Certainty should be considered a success only on the basis that it appeases its target audience. That audience is made up of "contemplative Christians," those Christians who feel caught between secular society, which values reason to the exclusion of faith, and religious fundamentalists, who are unable or unwilling to subject their beliefs to rational scrutiny. For people thus torn, author Daniel Taylor offers this solace: it's better to be in the middle; after all, skeptics are doomed to live a life of cynicism and unhappiness, and fundamentalists really aren't that bright. There is no doubt in my mind that many, many people, having been squeezed between secular society and fundamentalist families and peer groups, feel abandoned, disenfranchised, confused and badly hurt. I must warn you that this book has very little to say to those freethinkers who have been battered primarily by fundamentalists and theocrats; instead Taylor devotes the largest majority of the book to an ad hominem attack against reason and rationality. The attack is as insistent as it groundless, because Taylor is unable to fashion a scenario in which it is advisable to believe in something when the preponderance of evidence conflicts with that belief. In fact, it is probably unwise to *believe* (as opposed to 'imagine' or 'suspect') something when there is little or no evidence on which to base one's judgment. Anyone seeking a discussion of the issues underlying the "Myth of Certainty" is bound to be disappointed, because there is no discussion of epistemology, the nature of knowledge and truth, and the possible extent of knowledge. There is no help for the curious in determining which matters of faith are open to debate, and which bits of scientific evidence can be rejected out of hand because they contradict one's faith. I have also seen this book represented as an apologia for the Christian faith, which is untrue; the book simply argues that it is permissible-even desirable-to believe (practically anything) without evidence. As an apology for irrationality, the circular arguments in this book can't be beat. It says that because we can't know anything with certainty, we are free to believe whatever makes us feel warm and cuddly. The actual prose is dry but readable. Literary references abound but add little to the discourse. Fictional interludes are uninspired but provoke interesting questions-none of which are dealt with in the actual non-fiction text. Despite the above, I have trouble completely panning a book meant to comfort hurting people. I join with the author in affirming the dignity and worth of all persons, regardless of how they wrestle with faith and reason.
Rating:
Summary: You're not alone any more!
Review: This book came to me at a very appropriate time. Just when I couldn't have felt more alienated from my tradition, while at the same time alienated from the secular, this book makes me feel at home somewhere. As a campus minister I find this book extremely relevant. We find ourselves between the extremes of religious thought and secular thought. This work by Taylor puts forth an understand of grasping the one without letting go of the other.
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