Why Faith Matters

Atheism is hot. Should you have any doubt of that, next time you’re at Borders check out the collection of books pressed up hard against the Judaica collection. Aggressive rationalists like Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris make their passionate case that there is no God and that those who believe in a supernatural being are in the grip of an illusion, or worse. And they’re all spoiling for a fight.

Against these formidable combatants we now can pit the calm, patient voice of Rabbi David Wolpe. At first blush, it doesn’t seem like a fair fight. Rabbi Wolpe seems almost too reasonable, too understanding of the arguments marshaled against religion --- it’s a crutch for the fearful and weak-minded; it’s the show more source of endless, often bloody conflict; its tenets are incompatible with the teachings of science --- to enter the fray against these formidable foes. But in the end it’s the gentle reasonableness of his tone, the breadth of his learning, and the deeply personal experience on which he draws that’s the perfect antidote to the atheist manifestos.

Rabbi Wolpe’s goal in Why Faith Matters is to make the case for the richness of a life infused with faith, not to advocate for a particular set of beliefs (indeed, the controversial Pastor Rick Warren contributes the book’s foreword). Faith, for him, “is not an idea but a way to live, not a logical proposition but an outcome of encountering a noble soul.” Although he’s obviously steeped in Jewish learning, he’s as likely to quote T.S. Eliot, Dostoevsky or Nietzsche as he is the Bible, Maimonides or Reb Nachman of Bratzlav, and particularly in the chapter that asks the question, “Does religion cause violence?” he demonstrates a firm command of history and uses it to great effect to answer that question in the negative.

One of the elements that makes this book so pleasurable, and its teachings so memorable, is the grace of Rabbi Wolpe’s aphoristic style. Two examples of the many threaded through its pages will have to suffice: Describing the critique of religion’s barbarism, he observes, “While faith has been filled with fighting, fighting, however, is not ultimately caused by faith.” Or this insight, attained after reciting the confessional prayer at the bedside of a dying congregant: “As electricity requires a conduit, so spirit moves through human beings to touch others in crucial moments.”

Why Faith Matters is not a collection of glib nostrums designed to comfort us like a hot cup of tea on a cold night. His learning is often hard won, gained in his own trials and those of family and friends with illness, death and loss, and his personal struggle with a period of intense doubt as a young man. He acknowledges that the journey of faith is an unceasing one. “I have not reached a final understanding of anything discussed in this book and never expect to,” he concludes. “Still, the darkness does not only obscure, it also clears a path for the receptive soul.”

It’s unlikely any single work can convince the committed unbeliever to surrender his objections to religion. “Faith is not a proposition, but an orientation to the universe,” Rabbi Wolpe writes. Yet that faith can, as it did for him, grow from the soil of doubt. In his latest book, he offers a warmhearted, generous invitation to the open-minded reader to continue or embark on the path of faith. show less

David Wolpe who was an atheist and is now a Rabbi responds to what he terms the “new atheists” by illustrating ways religion has been a force for good in the world. With a refreshing honesty the author discusses science and scripture and cites evidence that faith benefits individuals and society. Rabbi Wolpe shares with us his understanding that religious questions are not answered completely and seeking those answers is a lifelong quest. Of course the same can be said for science; after all how did the laws of physics come to be. Not everything in the Universe is thereby "explained" by science and this too is a life long quest that is not mutually exclusive of faith. This book is a good read for believers and non-believers alike.

I read this book with what I consider its inverse companion: Christopher Hitchens' "God is not Great." I must say, it wasn't a fair fight. Hitchens, as he did in a real-life debate, absolutely smashes Wolpe's mousy little arguments to fine dust.

The writing itself is horribly, terribly amateur. If this was intentional, it was deplorable. MAKE me spring for a dictionary as a result of you selecting a perfect wording or phrasing to sell a point.

Speaking of points, no new ground is covered her, and no insights save for one or two mildly interesting arguments.

Wolpe is simply not the choice to successfully defend the religion I practice. A better champion needs to be made available.

The bottom line is, and no better classic argument is show more available, that for those who wish to believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, none will suffice. show less