In “Finding An Unseen God”, Alicia employs a kind of “internet board” “thread” style of writing. While interesting in a chat room or news group, I found it distracting on the printed page. Jumping from thread to thread, backward and forward in the timeline of her story, created confusion more than interest for me. I truly had a difficult time wanting to know more about her story. So I put the book down for awhile.

It took awhile, but I did finally return to the book. It is a very easy read. The chapters are two pages each, written in a conversational tone that is descriptive but not overly challenging. It was this personal style, despite the varying “threads” of story, which eventually won me over…

To read more of my review go to my blog at:

http://www.kristinemcguire.com

The best writing advice I ever heard was, “Never tell anyone about what you are writing, it simply puts unnecessary pressure on your creativity.” Nevertheless, when I got the opportunity to write a review of the book “Finding An Unseen God”, I told everyone. I told my family. I told my friends. I told the guys at work. I even told the lady in front of me at the checkout line in the grocery store. Not surprisingly, I have been struggling to finish this review ever since.

However, writing the review and reading the book are two totally different experiences. Like all good books, reading this one was no struggle at all. I raced through the pages and I am a slow reader. Step by step I look at every word… thoroughly, but despite my reading impairment, Alicia Britt Chole’s (show-lee) new book was a joy. I got the chance to look deep into her experiences leading from atheism to faith and it was amazing. I literally laughed and cried and nodded knowingly throughout the entire book…

To read more of my review go to my blog at:

http://edan0889.blogspot.com/2009/08/finding-unseen-god_20.html

The Best Part

The first thing you’ll notice when you pick up Finding is the captivating manner in which it is told. The cover itself is an actual word-find. And for folks like me, who loved word finds as a kid, I was super-excited to be able to work the word-find before diving into the first chapter. Each of these words, turns-out, becomes important to Chole’s story. What’s more, as Chole tells her story, the chapters are intermixed. The first chapter you’ll read is Chapter 52 and the second chapter is Chapter 1. Half of the book (every other chapter) tells Chole’s story from the perspective of her rearing, while the next chapter recounts where she is now and how she is interpreting the present and past events of her life. The reader is moving through Chole’s story in two directions.

Second, Chole’s story itself is told with a clear voice and delighting manner. You’ll feel as if you’re sitting with Alicia and hearing her talk about growing up as an atheist only later to encounter Jesus. As you engage Chole, you’ll sense that life has been dark and bleak and black for your friend, yet it’s that blackness that somehow lead her to the foot of the cross, as darkness often does. Chole becomes a conversation partner, someone you sit and have coffee with as she reveals just enough of herself that you are interested and feel as though you’re getting to know her, and not so much that it seems as if she is neurotic and hogging the conversation.

What’s more, if like me, you’re concerned deeply with gender-justice in churches, you’ll be refreshed by a genuine encounter with God that reminds you why female voices, prayers and pens are important to the church.

Third, you’ll hear from a committed Atheist. While her arguments for her own atheism may not be the strongest you’ve ever heard, they vibrate with rings of authenticity that allows the reader to know that for whatever reasons she choose to be an Atheist, so did choose for herself.

The Second to Best Part

It wouldn’t be right to leave you simply with the brilliance of this little book, there is one thing – that while not bad – you might want to be aware of before you plunk down your stimulus rebate on this book.

What is it? you ask. Simply this: At times, Chole gets a little preachy. I’m usually OK with preachy, after all, if someone has a message, we’re bound to advocate it strongly. However, when Chole’s preachy-ness reared its head in this artfully designed conversation, it put the brakes on the discourse. It was the only time I felt that Chole was losing her voice and needing to insert some paranesis at the request of a publisher. Can’t you hear that conversation now, “No one wants to just read your story, you have to advocate some kind of behavior.” This, however, is it. That’s the only editorial comment I will offer.

Should You Buy It?

Finding An Unseen God is worth the time, and it won’t take much of it. If you’re looking for advocacy or heavy-duty theology then this book is not for you. If, on the other hand, you want to reconnect with the simple story of a loving God who pursues His people even when they’d rather be left alone, then get your copy today.

The most interesting thing about this book from me was not what I read, but the conversations that it opened up. I read the book during a four hour flight to Denver where I was seated next to a recent graduate of the Univseristy of Colorado who was a self-professed “Intellectual” and “Agnostic.” While I read on a plane, as a pastor I have created my own policy of attempting not to listen to headphones in order to be free for conversations. Why? Because I have had the most fascinating experiences talking with the people around me.

This was no different. While he admitted to being skeptical of Christianity, certain events in his life had led him to believe that everything happens for a purpose. After reading the back cover of the book, he thought a book like this could help with his own spiritual journey. So I gave him the book. To my mild suprise, he accepted it. (Which is why this is light on substance!) At the end of the jetway as we exited the plane, we shook hands and we went our seperate ways. I prayed that Chole’s book might help him to find God through Jesus as well.

The Book
The reason I chose this month’s selection was its intriguing title: “Finding an Unseen God: Reflections of a Former Atheist”. It also didn’t hurt that the author’s website says she listens to Jason Upton – one of my favorite artists.

Alicia Britt Chole takes 165 pages and 52 chapters to trace her journey from birth to belief, fleshing out a work that is one part memoir and one part Christian apology. What’s interesting – and very postmodern of her – is that the chapters do not appear in strictly chronological order, but are arranged to form two complementary threads. One begins with the last chapter and counts down in descending order, while the other begins with chapter 1 and moves in ascending order. Thus, the first chapter is chapter 52, the second is chapter 1, the third is chapter 51 and the fourth is chapter 2, etc. – so that the reader experiences a sort of flashback effect as the book unfolds.

Quote
“Beliefs are celebrated in the light. They are tested in the dark.”

The Good
The book is an honest and touching look at the author’s conversion from atheism to Christian faith, culminating in an unexpected experience of the mystical presence of Jesus. I found the book simple, humble and authentic. It was also a quick read. I finished it in only four or five sittings.

The Bad
When I read a book that centers on an author’s personal experiences, I usually have two questions: (1) who is this and (2) why should I care? I recently read “Come be My Light”, a sort of spiritual biography of Mother Theresa as told through her personal letters. As I read, I never once doubted that the story was a noteworthy one. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about “Finding an Unseen God”. Chole’s story is told with honesty, and is by no means an unpleasant read, but I nevertheless wonder why Bethany House thought it noteworthy. An author doesn’t have to be Mother Theresa to grip us with her story, but in this case I’m not convinced that Chole’s testimony is any more compelling than that of 2/3 of my Christian friends. They too were unbelievers who encountered Jesus. Should they all get book deals?

The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that “Finding an Unseen God” is a light and enjoyable read and makes a rather winsome case for Christian belief in a skeptical age. I’d have no problem recommending it to seekers or those who are taking their first steps on the Christian way. As I’m sure Chole herself would be willing to admit, however, it’s not going to convince any atheists.

The book begins with a simple word search, a jumble filled with words like “pain,” “debate,” and “angst” — words which evoke the feelings expressed at the outset of chapter 1 (or “52,” by the books whimsical numbering scheme): “Truth was dead. // God had never lived. // Life was filled with pain. // And death was the end of life.”

With that, we enter Alicia’s world, a world which she presents to us as two interwoven stories: her relationship with her father, and her discovery of and relationship with the Father.

Through honest reflections from both “sides” of her life, Alicia allows us to walk with her through her life, from atheism to one of a living, active faith in a living, active God.

And while Finding an Unseen God is not meant to be a treatise on theology or apologetics, the questions which Alicia raises for us are worthy of any theology text. Is the Bible reliable? Aren’t all religions equally valid? What about evil? Why is life so painful? Although at times, I did feel as though Alicia didn’t really answer the questions she raised as thoroughly as she should have, and no doubt a critical atheist reading the book would be quick to point that out. However, if her goal was to simply generate thought, engaging readers to question for themselves why the world is the way it is or even why so many Christians have been willing to die for what they have believed in… Then I think Finding an Unseen God does an excellent job.

With short chapters and engaging writing, Finding an Unseen God is a page-turner that I recommend.

Original review available at KingdomGeek.

I would have liked this book a lot more if I did not have two mistaken expectations going in. I was expecting to hear the voice and language of an atheist “young woman.” Instead, I discover that Chole came to terms with her atheism around her middle school years and had come to faith around her transition into college. It was difficult for me to appreciate the views expressed in the book as accurate reflections of a teenager. There is no question that Chole is articulate and was probably a very intelligent child but it was still hard for me to believe her narration of a fully formed atheism at that age. And this revelation leads to my second disappointment.

I was hopeful that I would hear language from someone who did not grow up within the Christian bubble. Secretly I was wishing that the tone would be more like Anne Lamott and nothing could be farther from the truth. Chole’s vocabulary and narration sounds like someone who grew up in an Evangelical, Charismatic church. The references she cites (Josh McDowell??) seem out of character for a self proclaimed (former-)atheist.

These two things seemed too disingenuous for me to connect to the story in any meaningful way. For the most part, I really did enjoy Chole’s writing style but the content left me wishing for more.

Original review posted: http://www.ecclesialdreamer.com/?p=1235

No I don’t believe all religions are “equal” for example I am abhorred by the extreme fundamentalism that can run through religions-a fundamentalism that promotes hate nor do I agree with people who are just like, “oh all religions are the exact same” without even understanding or valuing the complexities and various beliefs that each religion carries. But I do believe that each religion carries basic truths that can point people towards God.

Sorry, I got off the topic a little. But all in all I did thoroughly enjoy Chloe’s Finding God.

This book is written in a creative way, with chapters alternating between biography and apologetic. At first, I was enraptured by her writing style and the creativity in how the themes alternated and woven together so beautifully. But by the middle of the book, the bouncing back and forth of the subject matter became a bit disjointed. It was only in the last few chapters that it wove together again in a way that worked well.

This book may not knock you over but I think it would be a great read for someone who is exploring belief in God. I’ll give it 3 out of 5 stars.

You can see this and other book reviews on my blog: http://www.chrishyde.info

God wakened me to his existence when I firmly believed I was not sleeping.

Finding an Unseen God: Reflections of a Former Atheist by Alicia Britt Chole is a story in many parts. The story is told so well- in images, short chapters, alternating between her history as an atheist and her thoughts since. She describes the ways she’s dealt with the hard questions of evil in the world and a newly-found Christian worldview. I appreciated both the passion of her faith and the reasonableness of it. Between stories of her journey through atheism, she explains the intellectual struggle and answers she’s found since coming to Christianity. She asks of her new worldview or belief system: Is is consistent? Is it livable? Is it sustainable? Is it transferable?

The book is an engaging read, consisting of short two- or three-page chapters, almost “photographs” of experiences or thoughts, stories of her parents, her life as an atheist, and her Christian friends who never gave up on her and lover her well.

In many ways, it would be a relief to once again chalk atrocities up to the human condition alone; to return to the worldview that would deliver me from wondering where God was and what prayer does. But for me, and other sincere people of faith, the tension remains.
Over the years though, I’ve experiences a glorious discovery: There is treasure in the tension.

See the review at keeping feet

The book is also an apologetic, or an explanation of why the Christian faith is true. A lot of this does make sense and matches my own experiences, but some of it irked me.

For instance, Chole says that she’s grateful for “the privilege of learning from Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh and Christian friends.” However, she also implies that pluralism (the idea that other faiths are equally good roads to God) is wrong, and that Christianity is the only correct faith. I wonder how her Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh friends feel about that?

Chole explains four filters she uses to determine whether a faith is a valid one:

Is it consistent at its core?
Is it livable and not just quotable?
Is it sustainable through life-size pain?
Is it transferable to others (will it work for people in other cultures, economic situations, etc.)?

She makes a good case that Christianity passes these filters, but I suspect that devout people of other religions could make a strong case for their faith passing as well.

I did like Chole’s statements that God is not bothered by questions about faith, and that it’s OK to question.

“Believing does not mean that you will no longer have questions. Believing does not mean that you will turn off your brain.”

And another good statement:

“God neither dilutes discrepancy nor ignores complexity. God does not conveniently edit out the uncomfortable.”

Although this book irked me at times, it was an interesting read. I’m not sure it’s the kind of book an atheist would be willing to read, but it will be interesting to believers, and maybe to people on the edge of faith.

http://whatsthemission.wordpress.com

So overall, this review is truly a critique. I don’t like writing this kind of piece because someone poured their soul into this work. Also, because I feel unqualified. She is a published author… let’s see… where are my published works? None to be found. Somehow it feels like I am backseat driving.

So let me start out with what I did like. The author is a wonderful story teller. Her book goes back and forth chapter by chapter between the narrative of her life, and the commentary on those parts of her life. She brought me into the tale of her journey and I cared about the directions she was taking. Particularly fulfilling were the parts that dealt with her relationship to her father. She knows how to translate love to the written page.

What I did not like in her book was the commentary. To me, it seemed very contradictory and inconsistent. She seemed to vacillate between speaking of the large God of the Universe… to the smaller god of evangelical Christianity. She wanted to speak of the freedom of questioning… but only if you come to certain conclusions.

For example, she presents four filters with which she determines that Christianity is true. Christianity passes these tests, whereas other religions don’t. They are that the religion is:

* Livable
* Consistent
* Sustainable
* Transferable

She uses examples to show where Christianity passes each of these markers. The problem is that each of her points could be used against Christianity as well as for it. They also are passable by many other religions. These kind of logic efforts only work for the convinced.

I also feel she made a weak argument against pluralism. She falls into dualistic premises that require you to agree with her definitions to move forward in her argument… and she is rather prideful at that. She says that “world religions are incompatible at their core”, and of pluralists:

“World religions are NOT saying the same thing, but that is okay because religious pluralists either (1) understands each world religion better than those who practice it, or (2) is enlightened to the point where they can comprehend a reality (“all roads lead to the same god”) that either eludes or offends actual adherents of the great world religions.”

In this, she insists on the same “either/or” arguments that pluralists resist. To her, every Christian is a fundamentalist Christian; every Muslim is a fundamentalist Muslim, etc… What she ignores (or is unaware of) is the overlap that can exist. Where the Muslim who is genuinely moving toward the way of God finds himself having more in common with the Jewish man who is on the same journey, than he does the fundamentalists of his own faith tradition.

Also, she spends a lot of time using her filters trying to rationalize why Christianity is true. Yet in the end, it was a “Damascus Road” experience that brought her to Christ. She wants to show that Christianity can be rationally discerned… but that was not her route to conversion. It kind of felt like a bait and switch.

I have no problem with a “Damascus Road” experience because I had a similar conversion. I thought church and church people were annoying and God was far away. In less than an hour, God became my personal obsessive compulsive disorder.

But the more I learn about other religions, I discover that all my Christian experiences and arguments can be duplicated in those religions as well. The author tells the story of how a certain miraculous event stumped her atheistic mind. However, I have heard similar tales told in every branch of Christendom and other religions as well. Her conversion story can be told in every religion since time began.

My difficulty is not that she had these experiences… but that she tries to make them sound unique. That somehow these validate Christianity, while invalidating everything else.

So in the end, I didn’t see where she had anything new to offer. When she was an Atheist, she was right and everyone else was wrong. Now she is a Christian; and she is right and everyone else is wrong.

She switched jerseys, but is still playing the same game.

(Check out my new blog: http://important-topics-ahub.blogspot.com/)

As an Ooze Viral Blogger (http://viralbloggers.com/), it is my duty and privilege to review books, available to me through The Ooze, of my choosing. The first book I reviewed (go here for the review and here for a sort of follow-up) was called Jesus Interrupted by Bart Ehrman. In his work, Ehrman’s personal experiences with faith and Christianity are clearly a major motivation for his denial of the importance of the Bible and a God that is good.
This interweaving of personal experiences with a historical faith is even more evident in Alicia Britt Chole’s new book, Finding An Unseen God, subtitled “Reflections Of A Former Atheist”. Throughout the book, Chole weaves chapters recalling her atheistic years with chapters stating her current thoughts and beliefs.
At first, this weaving together of different times in her life might be difficult for the reader to sort out. An explanation might prove to be helpful. Chapters alternate between exploring her atheistic past (which is indicated on the contents page with a chapter title on the left, ascending from 1 to 26) chapters that explain her current faith and how that came about (indicated by chapter titles being on the right side of the contents page, descending from 52 to 26).
The greatest collision of Chole’s two belief-sets (Atheism and Christianity) in the final chapter of the book (26) prove to be both the climax and denouement of Finding An Unseen God. In the final chapter, Chole tells of her surrender to Jesus, after years of bitterness towards Him. As a climax, the chapter serves to highlight the point of decision. As denouement, the chapter shows the resolution of the tensions in the book. Though Chole says that becoming a Christian never simply solved her questions, they gave her a better place to see truth from.
As somewhat of a biography – spanning a life’s worth of adventure and pondering – many topics are addressed in this book. The many topics include: Atheism, how Christians should act towards Atheists, pluralism, respect for other belief systems,, the historicity of the Bible, simple-minded Christianity, objective truths, theodicy (the problem of evil and suffering in the world), the importance of friends and family in one’s life, and presence of God in Christian worship.
Two of these topics will be considered. First, in ways reminiscent of Polkinghorne and Newbigin, Chole devotes a large portion of her book to dealing with religious pluralism and Christianity’s claim to be both different and truer than other religions (see especially p. 79-105). Chole admits that there are many religious options out there to chose from, and that can be difficult to decide which is the right one; that, in fact, all paths lead to the top of the same mountain. Though it can be difficult to sort through all the different believe-systems, “difficult to find is a different matter than impossible to find” (p.81).
Chole then goes on to deliver a kindly, yet lucid critique of religious pluralism. Her three main arguments against religious pluralism are summed up in her first point, which is contra the believe that “world religions really ARE saying the same thing, or at least have compatible core beliefs” (p. 104):
Ask them, Ask the committed Muslim, the devout Jew, the practicing Hindu, the devoted Christian, and the sincere Buddhist if they are all saying the same thing or if, at the very least, their core beliefs are compatible. With the possible exception of the Hindu, my guess is that you will hear great unity in their response of “no!” (p. 104)
Here, of course, Chole is implying that if devout followers of different religions see that each religion is unique, then how can someone who is outside of the traditions altogether understand them as “communicating complementary messages”? (p. 104) She is also pointing out the arrogance of such assertions.
If religions make distinct and competing claims, how can we learn which one is the best? To solve this problem, Chole provides four questions that serve as “filters” (p. 88):
1) Is my belief system…consistent (at its core)?
2) Is my belief system…livable (and not just quotable)?
3) Is my belief system…sustainable (through life-size pain)?
4) Is my belief system…transferable (to others)?
Perhaps Chole’s four filters (and their subsequent proving of the truthfulness of Christianity) are too simplistic for some, but I find that they provide a helpful screen in discerning the varying levels of truth and goodness in various religious claims. In truth, much of Chole’s book reads this way: simple, yet profound and powerful.
The second topic found in Chole’s book that I will consider is that of theodicy, which is the problem of evil and suffering in the world, in lue of an all-good and all-powerful God. It turns out that this issue is, for people such as Bart Ehrman, is a deal-breaker when it comes to believing in Jesus. For Chole, the problem of injustice in the world provided her atheism with both peace of mind and potency. “If there is no God, then we do not have to question him, her, or them about why the innocent are condemned and the guilty freed-it is simply human error” (p.63).
However, that peace of mind, the fact that we should not expect otherwise soon began to haunt her, turning peace of mind into a darker approach to life:
As an Atheist, the road to suicide was less fraught with moral or philosophical obstacles than perhaps it would be for a Theist of whatever persuasion. There was no god, There was no afterlife, death ended all pain. Why wait for the release when I could initiate it? (p.78); Underneath, something significant had shifted within me, My atheism had experienced a mutation: It was no longer benign… Life is painful…Through a more personal acquaintance with relational and emotional pain, my Atheism morphed into “anti-theism”…How could anyone have the audacity to suggest the existence of a god or gods that “hold all the power”? How could such beings exist and not use their power to prevent pain? Obviously there is no god. (p. 133-144)
Unfortunately, the problem of theodicy is not intellectually countered in Chole’s book. Instead, experiential answers are given:
In many ways it would be a relief to once again chalk these atrocities up to the human condition alone; to return to a worldview that would deliver me from wondering where God as and what prayer does. But for me, and other sincere people of faith, the tension remains…Over the years, though, I have experienced a glorious discovery: There is treasure in the tension. The struggle is a doorway. Sincerity in the quest ushers us mysteriously across the threshold, and on the other side is – not answers – but knowing. On the other side is intimacy. (p.64); Beliefs are celebrated in the light. They are tested in the dark. (p. 116); Life is not tidy. Pain coexists with joy… God does not conveniently edit out the uncomfortable…Spiritually seeing God’s wholeness did not blind me to the world’s woundedness. Over the years, my sensitivity to injustice and pain has only heightened. Walking with God, I still see life’s complexities – but now that sight is attended by hope and complimented by a renewable strength to fight. Relationship with this realistic god has made me, both in thought and action, more (not less) in touch with the true aches of humanity.
It is helpful to notice here, what Chole calls the “fruit” (p.75) of a belief system. The fruit is the result of the belief system, it is the quality of fullness in life, the “honey” of the “fruit and honey” in life. Belief in Jesus has given Chole the ability to see hope, and therefore, to be more merciful to others and to bring more goodness and justice to the world. Instead of her thoughts of suicide, and negativity towards others, she learned that with Jesus she could participate more in life. As He once said, he has come to bring not just life, not just breathing and eating, but fullness of life: joy, peace, hope, and love (John 10:10, my translation). Other fruit that Chole has experienced since being a Christian has been, contra the writing of the New Atheists, an increase in mental vitality: “What I did not anticipate [as a result of her conversion], though, was an increase in my ability to learn, When God awakened me to his existence, my critical-thinking skills expanded and my creativity exploded” (p. 147).
Another section of Finding an Unseen God must be discussed. Chole’s retelling of her moment of realizing that God is real (ch.25) was the highlight of the book for me. I will not spoil the book for those who wish to read it, but I should point out that it struck me as such a moment of beauty, serenity, power, and worship. It made so much sense where and when her conversion happened, and yet none at all.
I appreciated Finding An Unseen God for its simplicity, its truth, and its respect for other belief systems. It should be noted that Finding An Unseen God is no textbook, filled with arguments and counter-arguments. It is a journal of a life-journey. The book will leave readers encouraged 1) in their faith and 2) in learning more about their faith and the faiths of others. Finding An Unseen God’s 173 pages will leave its readers both satisfied with their faith and thirsting for more truth.

See the (very interesting) Trailer.
Go to Alicia Britt Chole’s website.
Read a review and excerpts from the book.
Read more reviews.

“There is only one reasonable response when a God—whose reality you have denied—pursues you.”

You could have guessed that someone could write a book with a subtitle like “Reflections of a Former Atheist” any number of ways. One way might be sappy and clichéd. A second might be polemic and combative. Another might be condescending, or glib, or sardonic. But you might not have guessed that, instead, this book would be refreshing, gripping, and original. Or how about artful and intelligent? Whether she knows it or not, Alicia Britt Chole has given us a glimpse at what a masterful writer can do with a difficult subject and a dichotomous audience. Reasonable Theists and Atheists alike can appreciate this little book’s big presence.From the moment I opened the Table of Contents (Literally. Have a look.), I knew “Finding an Unseen God” was going to be an interesting read. And it was. The book alternates between two threads: her reasons for her now “former Atheist” status, and the story behind it all—going back to the beginning of her childhood. The net: you begin to feel that you know this young Atheist, you understand (if not accept) her reasons for being an Atheist, and you understand (if not accept) why she can now say that she not only believes that God exists, but believes in Him, as well.Through the weaving reason and experience, Alicia confesses why her belief does not mean for her intellectual high treason and why Atheism can mean intellectual integrity.Atheists will find the Christian Chole respectful, level-headed, and even partially affirmative. She says,

“Some would say that the Atheist disbelieves too quickly. Perhaps. But then, perhaps some Theists believe too easily…. Atheism still makes sense to me and I am delighted whenever I meet a practicing Atheist. No doubt my past biases me, but I find Atheists to be thoughtful, intelligent, concerned about the world, and grounded in reality.”

Theists will find the former-Atheist Chole challenging, inspiring, and even tonic.

“…not having grown up in this faith, I had very few preconceptions of what followers of Jesus did and did not do. No doubt, more than a few were puzzled by the dissonance between my clearly earnest faith and still-in-formation theology. But the close-to-blank slate gave me the freedom to focus on simply knowing God as opposed to worrying about if it looked like I knew God.”

“Finding an Unseen God” not only traces the course and pulse of Alicia’s life, believing and unbelieving, it provides sound reasoning for integrity in the dialog between Theists and Atheists. Atheists can sometimes be heard demanding of believers of any kind, “Prove to me the existence of deity.” Theists often reply with the regretful explanation that God’s existence cannot be proven empirically. Alicia comments,

“When the tables are turned, however, I think the honest Atheist might say, ‘But God’s non-existence cannot with finality be proven.’ I agree. Why, then, is it considered ethical to ask the Theist to absolutely prove what the Atheist knows cannot be absolutely disproven? Theists are challenged to do the impossible, and then their failure is entered as evidence that their beliefs are misplaced.”This is not a cry for mercy. It is a cry for integrity in the discussion.”

Chole does not ask Atheists to consider an easy, ignorant Theism. Instead, she describes a God who isn’t afraid of being questioned:

“What a relief it was for me to discover that this continual questioning did not make God nervous. Interrogatives do not irritate God. Emotionally charged query does not shut God down. Over the past quarter century I have come to the conclusion that God is, after all, rather secure.”

“Believing” she says, “does not mean that you will no longer have questions.”Believing does not mean that you will turn off your brain.”Believing does not mean that you will enter into a relationship with God in which you can bribe him to do your will.”Believing does not mean that you will live in denial about real, raw life.”

She describes a God who pursues personal relationship and who loves indiscriminately.

“When this pursuing Presence caught up with me, it did not crush me with anger or cause me to cower in the corner with shame…. love itself was redefined. God’s love had a backbone. God’s love was strong and volitional: a trust-inducing blend of unreserved devotion, full knowledge, and acceptance so lavish, so complete, that it was healing.”The one reasonable response? Surrender.”God was. My worldview was irreparably altered….”It was true that God’s existence would change everything. But I had never intentionally lied to myself before, and I was not going to start then.”

Though more directly written with Atheists and Christians in mind, whatever your conviction, “Finding an Unseen God: Reflections of a Former Atheist” is a very appreciable read, one I personally found both fun and stimulating. And at 164 pages and interwoven with very well-written biographical story, it’s a breeze to be sure. This is a book I’m proud to have on my shelf.“Finding an Unseen God: Reflections of a Former Atheist” by Alicia Britt Chole

I was also quite arrogant and cocky, and worshipped a very small God.

Then I saw love in action. Love is the foundation upon which the world rests, and the greatest power in the universe. Love doesn’t set out to prove itself or belittle an “opponent” with the truth. Love walks alongside anyone and simply listens. It is hard to argue against love.

Alicia Britt Chole has written a new book called Finding an Unseen God. It is a memoir, detailing her journey from atheism to the transforming presence of Love. Her story is a wonderful reminder that God isn’t looking for people to defend his name or prove his existence.

God is looking for people who will transform the world with love.

To live in God’s Great Story is to live in a radical love for all people.

I did however; enjoy reading her patterns of thought and the ways she clearly shows she is now able to think about her belief and intellectually accept it. For me this was the most beneficial section of the book.

The book was a nice short read, that kept my attention enough to read it in two sittings. As a whole I don’t think I will be recommending the book strongly, however it was enjoyable and includes some good and interesting ideas.

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