When Faith is Not Enough

Mme Faith is not Enough. By Kelly James Clark Grand Rapids, MI Willam B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997. 190 pp. $18.00 (paper).

Paul Tillich ended his classic The Courage to Be with these words: "The courage to be is rooted in the God who appears when God has disappeared in the anxiety of doubt." It is fair to say that Kelly James Clark's study of the place of doubt in faith is both stimulating and instructive. The book's attraction results from the personal testimony of the author, who understands the Christian life to be a journey and communion with the risen Christ.

It is a book that should be widely appreciated by parish study groups. It is clear and concise about basic Christian faith. It includes a range of helpful illustrations to make its points-from the author's storehouse of personal experiences to the world of the saints, ancient and modern. Whether quoting Boethius, Kierkegaard or T. S. Eliot, references introduce and help to interpret topics considered. But the author's skill in weaving a tapestry of ancient wisdom and modern experience, in the light of growth in Christ, does not stop there. He is able to come up with terse quotations from a variety of sources-Hobbes, Pascal, Dostoyevski, Sartre, Camus, Annie Dillard, and Samuel Beckett-who confront the reader with the unexpected. What at first appear to be illustrations of the power of darkness over light may actually turn out to be the opposite, the power of light over darkness in the journey of faith.

In Part I, "The Shadow of Doubt," the author considers the interplay of light and darkness in Christian experience. There is a helpful section on the mystical encounter with the hiddenness of God. To consider such an important but difficult topic as the absence of God-often avoided because of its subtleties and complexities-is commendable. There is a chapter entitled "Fear and Trembling" (on Kierkegaard and the gift of faith), another chapter on suffering (interpreting Job), followed by a chapter on faith and hope. In Part II, in the chapter "Searching for My Self," the author considers the question, "Does my life have any point?" The modern sense of alienation and the view that the final word is the absurd are discussed in the light of reconciliation and hope. The author's approaches to self-discovery, here and in earlier sections of the book, are helpful explorations into the process of deepening faith-faith always viewed as a gift.

The main criticism that this reviewer has of this reasonable and practical book is its lack of focus on "community" when considering growth in faith. Although the author is primarily concerned about issues of faith and doubt for the individual, public worship and corporate prayer are so integral to the Christian life that one wishes that the relationship of the individual to community had received its due. However, when used in a parish setting, where participants are part of a worshiping community, the book possesses so much valuable and clearly written material that it should encourage fruitful discussion of the Church's apologetic role today.

G. P. MELLICK BELSHAW

Princeton, New Jersey

Copyright Anglican Theological Review, Inc. Spring 1999
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