
The Certainty of Uncertainty
The Way of Inescapable Doubt and Its Virtue
Mark Schaefer(Author)
Wipf and Stock Publishers
Published on 23. August 2018
276 pages
978-1-5326-5345-2 (ISBN)
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Description
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The world is full of people who are very certain--in politics, in religion, in all manner of things. In addition, political, religious, and social organizations are marketing certainty as a cure all to all life's problems. But is such certainty possible? Or even good?
The Certainty of Uncertainty explores the question of certainty by looking at the reasons human beings crave certainty and the religious responses we frequently fashion to help meet that need. The book takes an in-depth view of religion, language, our senses, our science, and our world to explore the inescapable uncertainties they reveal. We find that the certainty we crave does not exist.
As we reflect on the unavoidable uncertainties in our world, we come to understand that letting go of certainty is not only necessary, it's beneficial. For, in embracing doubt and uncertainty, we find a more meaningful and courageous religious faith, a deeper encounter with mystery, and a way to build strong relationships across religious and philosophical lines. In The Certainty of Uncertainty, we see that embracing our belief systems with humility and uncertainty can be transformative for ourselves and for our world.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Eugene
United States
ISBN-13
978-1-5326-5345-2 (9781532653452)
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
08/2018
Wipf & Stock Publishers
€33.00
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Book
08/2018
Wipf & Stock Publishers
€51.00
Shipment within 3-4 weeks
Person
Mark Schaefer is the University Chaplain at American University (AU) in Washington, DC, and Director of AU's Kay Spiritual Life Center, one of the oldest interfaith centers in the United States. With degrees in language and law, and with nearly two decades serving in young adult campus ministry, he also serves as an Adjunct Professorial Lecturer at AU and Wesley Theological Seminary, teaching courses in Religion, New Testament, and Biblical Greek.
Content
- Intro
- Title Page
- Author's Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Abbreviations
- Part I: The Quest for Certainty
- Chapter 1: The One Thing Certain
- Chapter 2: Faith and Certainty
- Part II: The Inescapable Uncertainty
- . . . In Our Religion
- Chapter 3: Faith and Uncertainty
- Chapter 4: Faith and Metaphor
- Chapter 5: The Metaphors of Faith Explored
- Chapter 6: Faith as Metaphor
- Chapter 7: The Poetry of Faith
- Chapter 8: Pointing Beyond the Metaphor
- . . . In Our Language
- Chapter 9: Mathematics and the Language of God
- Chapter 10: The Slipperiness of Language
- Chapter 11: Language and Metaphor
- . . . In Our Senses
- Chapter 12: Through a Mirror Dimly
- . . . In Our Science
- Chapter 13: Science to the Rescue! Or Not.
- . . . In Our World
- Chapter 14: The World Knocked Off Its Foundations
- Chapter 15: A Warped and Uncertain Cosmos
- The Inescapability of Uncertainty
- Part III: The Uncertain Way Forward
- Chapter 16: Theology in a Time of Metaphor
- Chapter 17: On the Necessity of Doubt
- Chapter 18: Drinking of One Wine
- Ending: The Certainty of Uncertainty
- Bibliography
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