Many debates focus on WHAT Christians believe, but it's time to question HOW Christians believe.
A controlled, double-blind, randomized trial is a complex, labor-intensive process developed over centuries to combat the ways subjective bias can corrupt the pursuit of knowledge. Christian practice, by contrast, hasn't changed in thousands of years. Today's Christians access God much like their ancient counterparts, through tools such as prayer, scripture, miracles, faith, prophecy, and spiritual discernment.
The kindest, most compassionate Christian and the cruelest, most insensitive believer both share a belief in the efficacy of these tools - the how of Christianity - yet each sees the other as a prime example of how vulnerable these tools are to subjective biases, traditions, desires, fears, and social influences. Despite this, in all my decades as a Christian, I never encountered a substantive discussion about how these vulnerabilities shape what we believe about God, ourselves, and the universe - and ultimately, whether these tools can be trusted.
This is that discussion. Does Christianity have a problematic how?
In this thought-provoking book, Luther Palmer invites readers on a deeply personal and intellectual journey through his departure from Christianity. Drawing on years of reflection, Palmer dissects the how behind Christian beliefs, questioning the processes by which beliefs are formed and maintained, and then also questioning the role of faith itself. With a compassionate yet critical lens, he explores the vulnerabilities of personal experiences, subjective interpretations, and unverifiable spiritual encounters that underpin religious convictions. This critique isn't born out of trauma or loss, but rather a reasoned examination of Christian practice and its impact on personal and communal life.
Palmer's exploration goes beyond critiquing Christianity itself, as he delves into the universal human tendency to rely on incomplete and biased perspectives in belief formation. The book challenges readers to reconsider how truth and knowledge are constructed, asking difficult questions about faith, reality, and the consequences of adherence to tradition. A compelling read for believers, skeptics, and anyone interested in the deeper how of human understanding, this book offers fresh insight into the importance of critical thinking in navigating faith and truth.
