"Life After God" (Mark Feldmeir)

TITLE: Life After God
AUTHOR: Mark Feldmeir
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2023, (220 pages).
 

As the spiritual climate in the West becomes more secular and anti-establishment, the Church at large is entering a Post-Christian era. With declining membership in churches and an ever-increasing number of people who call themselves NONES, it is becoming more difficult to see what faith and belief look like. Some Christians even doubt what they believe as they toggle between faith and doubt. Dealing with such situations can be tricky. How does one nuance the historic faith without sweeping contemporary doubts under the carpet? Here lies the challenge that author, pastor, and professor Mark Feldmeir boldly tackles. Starting with a professor using an imaginary gun to challenge a student's faith, he articulates the classic problem that pits the doctrine of God's love against the reality of human pain and suffering. Where does free will come in? If God already knows why certain events are bound to happen, why did He not intervene according to His Goodness? His musings about theodicy take us through history and contemporary times. In the former, he mentions the writings of CS Lewis, Pascal, Nicholas Wolterstorff, and the biblical book of Job. In the latter, he shows us the evil that is happening in this world, and points out the elephant in the room: The problem with faith is not faith per se, but conceptions of God formulated by Christianity or what many Christians make of God. Feldmeir then goes back to the fundamentals before assuming any such conceptions. Some of the basic questions include questions pertaining to our origins, our larger purposes, our destinations, how we will get there, and how all these have to do with God. Using historical symbols and various literary devices, he shows us that faith is not necessarily derived from our creeds or doctrines of the Church. Historic symbols like the boat in a storm where the disciples were caught between faith and doubt even in the presence of Jesus. He also highlights the origins of the names of God, to show us that God is more than simply a divine Name, but One who identifies with our everyday lives. Rather than disposing of the past as irrelevant, we learn about the need to see history and our past as important milestones to guide us in our spiritual thoughts. 

In each chapter, the author gives us a page from the past to show us the origins of Christian thought. This is quickly followed by some contemporary events to help readers understand the changing contexts of culture and society. In all situations, Feldmeir asks some probing questions on our behalf. Just like the biblical "doubting Thomas" style of questions, he probes the depths of faith and doubt before pointing the way forward. Each chapter deals with a specific aspect of God. On "Call," we go back to the origins of life. In "Aim," we note how God had directed the Israelites of old. In "Nature," we compare the nature of God with the nature of the world. Which can we find hope in? In "Presence," we learn that God's presence can be experienced both inside and outside the Church. Gradually, we are challenged to experience God not just on the outside but on the inside. Looking at the "Glory of God," we move from the physical realm to marvel at things beyond us. Like it or not, we are often forced to reckon on things that are far bigger than ourselves. 

My Thoughts

This book begins in a strange way. I was startled to read about a professor threatening to shoot a student with a gun, only to realize eventually that it was an imaginary gun used in a story that I cannot verify whether it is real or not.  For those who had negative experiences with shooting, it is admittedly an inappropriate illustration. Thankfully, the author is quick to highlight the actual reason why he uses the shooting metaphor. It is to bring in the discussion about the reality of God in a broken and painful world. If God is so loving and good, why didn't He stop any shootings? Is that proof of God's existence or is it merely a wrong question to ask in the first place? While one might argue about the implied violence, the bigger picture is about how our modern sensitivities are influencing our faith and how we believe. Apart from dealing with the famous David Hume's trilemma about God, Feldmeir draws in some modern scenarios like popular TV shows, TikTok videos, abortion rights, 9/11 terrorism, and of course, gun violence to show us that the problems of the world remain largely unresolved. Can we still believe in a loving God in the midst of a hateful world? What I appreciate in Feldmeir's approach is that he does not tell us what to believe. He simply points out that any move toward unbelief is not necessarily a better solution in itself. In other words, he reminds us that even when we are frustrated with the Church or the conventional Christian beliefs about God, flawed interpretations should not make us throw out the baby with the bathwater. Or just because we cannot comprehend the world according to our standards of goodness, we should not pull the plug on God altogether. 

Feldmeir's approach is less direct compared to some of the conventional methods of apologetics. He realizes that the world has changed and new contexts require new approaches. At the same time, it would be wise not to jettison the lessons of old just because of the new fashions in thinking and expectations. By putting together the lessons in the Bible without losing the reality of present challenges, Feldmeir hopes to encourage the disillusioned to give God another chance, or more specifically, to give themselves another reason to reconsider the reality of God and the faith. One should not allow the excesses of certain quarters to waylay the majesty of God's grace. It is a challenging task to reach this new generation of people who are more cynical and skeptical of anything resembling traditional Christianity or the Christian establishment. If one honestly reflects on history and the present state of the world, one soon realizes that there are more similarities than differences. The same issues experienced by the writer of Ecclesiastes have not disappeared from the face of this earth. People still think they can serve two masters, the divine and the world. With the advancement of science and technology, individuals might even grow dizzy over the technological tower of Babel thinking that science can replace God. Seriously, this book is an effort to reach out and touch this new generation of people. My advice: For the disillusioned, distinguish between the reality of God and the ways people see God. Let God's Word be true. It is because God's Word is hope which is why there is life.

 

Do not let the title of the book fool you into thinking that it is about people who no longer believe. I think it is for people who still have a desire to want to believe. The main thing they need is a fresh dose of God's grace to see that vibrant spiritual life is still possible (including the Church) in a Post-Christian era.

Mark Feldmeir is the author of four books, including his latest work, A House Divided:  Engaging the Issues through a Politics of Compassion.  He has served on the Adjunct Faculty at Claremont School of Theology, where he has taught homiletics, and has spoken at various conferences throughout the country on topics ranging from preaching,  politics, and pop culture.  He serves as Lead Pastor at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Mark received his B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of California, Riverside (1990), and his M.Div. from Claremont School of Theology (1993).

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Westminster John Knox Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.