The Hopeful Skeptic: Revisiting Christianity from the Outside - Softcover

Fiedler, Nick

3.24

25 ratings by Goodreads

9780830837274: The Hopeful Skeptic: Revisiting Christianity from the Outside

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0830837272 ISBN 13: 9780830837274

Publisher: IVP Books, 2009

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Nick Fiedler (of Nick and Josh Podcast fame) decided to travel the world for a year or so, and in the process of figuring out what to set aside, what to carry along and what to throw out, heard a little voice telling him to set aside the faith of his childhood. So Nick changed his Facebook religion status from Christian to "Hopeful Skeptic" and set out to see where God would take him. If you find yourself asking nagging questions of the faith you were born into, put on your boots and take a little trip with Nick.

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About the Author:

Nick Fiedler is the cocreator and cohost of the popular Nick & Josh Podcast, an internet radio show that interviews political, religious and community leaders on a variety of topics. Fiedler has a degree in English and has worked as a World Religions teacher, a Youth Worship Director, a Senior Credit Manager, and is currently writing and traveling the world while working for a Skydiving Company editing videos. Fiedler's church experience includes working with youth and music for about six years, as well as leading youth service projects in Honduras, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. He's a speaker, blogger, musician and regular party host with a particular interest in technology and post-Christian thought. Catch up with him at thehopefulskeptic.com.

Review:

"Over 150 years ago, Tennyson said it tenderly, as poets often do: 'There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.' With those words, Tennyson stepped above both blind faith and religion-bashing to make an observation that still needs to be heard today. Nick Fiedler does something similar in these pages--engages with honest doubt (that's the skeptic part) in hopes of finding a better faith (that's the hopeful part). I hope many people will read his words with the tenderness they deserve to be read with, and I hope many people will, motivated by Nick's example, pursue the kind of faith that is widened and deepened by honest doubt, for that is good faith indeed." (Brian McLaren, author/activist (brianmclaren.net))

"Nick Fiedler is a spiritual anthropologist with a specialty in evangelicalism. On this road trip he picks up some artifacts of Christianity (prayer, Scripture, beliefs) and turns them over in his hand. Unfettered by beliefism, Nick relishes the luxury of ruthless honesty and thoughtfully reports his findings. If you've got the urge to travel to new places in your spiritual thought life, read this book." (Jim Henderson, executive director, Off The Map)

"In The Hopeful Skeptic Nick Fiedler unbuckles his Bible belt, takes off the armor of Christ and unpacks the preconceptions that defined the faith of his childhood. In his newfound nakedness, he dons his faith flip-flops and joins countless pilgrims before him on a journey to see where God may be speaking to him today. Other spiritual seekers can find solace in Nick's story as they realize they are not alone in their doubts and questions." (Becky Garrison, author of Jesus Died for This? (Zondervan, July 2010))

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