Question 1

What is The Sin of Certainty by Peter Enns about?

Accepted Answer

The Sin of Certainty challenges the Christian preoccupation with doctrinal correctness and argues that God desires trust over certainty about beliefs. Peter Enns examines how the need for absolute theological certainty creates spiritual dangers, including dogmatism and the mistreatment of fellow believers. Through biblical examples, historical context, and personal testimony, the book invites readers to embrace doubt as a pathway to deeper faith rather than viewing it as a threat to Christianity.

Question 2

Who is Peter Enns and why did he write The Sin of Certainty?

Accepted Answer

Peter Enns is a former tenured Old Testament professor at Westminster Theological Seminary who lost his teaching position due to theological disagreements with the administration. His personal journey through professional crisis, combined with his daughter's struggles with an eating disorder, led him to question the emphasis on doctrinal conformity in evangelical Christianity. Enns describes himself as "wired as an explorer" who values "challenging older orthodoxies and gaining new insights," which shaped this book's central message about trusting God through uncertainty.

Question 3

Who should read The Sin of Certainty?

Accepted Answer

The Sin of Certainty is primarily for Christians caught between doctrinal conformity and increasing questions about their faith. It speaks to believers experiencing doubt, struggling with rigid theological systems, or feeling pressured to maintain certainty to justify their beliefs. The book particularly resonates with those who have encountered spiritual crises, faced consequences for questioning orthodoxy, or seek permission to trust God while acknowledging they don't have all the answers.

Question 4

Is The Sin of Certainty worth reading?

Accepted Answer

The Sin of Certainty offers valuable insights for believers navigating doubt and rigid faith systems, though its repetitive nature may not suit all readers. The book excels in its accessible writing style, personal vulnerability, and critique of how certainty-driven faith harms Christian communities. However, critics note that Enns occasionally overstates his case and downplays the importance of correct doctrine. It's most valuable for those actively questioning evangelical certainty rather than readers already comfortable with theological ambiguity.

Question 5

What does "sin of certainty" mean in Peter Enns' book?

Accepted Answer

The "sin of certainty" refers to the spiritual danger of equating faith in God with absolute confidence about theological beliefs. According to Enns, this sin arises from pride and fear of being wrong, leading Christians to prioritize "correct thinking" over trusting God. The need for certainty creates destructive consequences including dogmatism, the exclusion of questioners, and a faith that "eats its own" by demanding conformity. Enns argues that "aligning faith in God and certainty about what we believe" does not make for healthy faith.

Question 6

How does The Sin of Certainty define trust versus certainty?

Accepted Answer

Trust in The Sin of Certainty means "letting go of the need to know, of the need to be certain" while still relying on God. Enns distinguishes trust as a relational posture toward the divine that remains secure even amid doubt and unanswered questions. Certainty, by contrast, focuses on defending correct doctrinal positions and intellectual correctness about God. The book's central thesis is that "trust in God, not correct thinking about God, is the beginning and end of faith, the only true and abiding path."

Question 7

What biblical examples does Peter Enns use in The Sin of Certainty?

Accepted Answer

Peter Enns highlights biblical figures who modeled faith without certainty, particularly from the Hebrew Bible. He examines the Preacher in Ecclesiastes and Job as "Two Miserable People Worth Listening To" who understood the need to "trust God even when you don't know what you believe, even when all before you is absurd." Additionally, Enns analyzes many Psalms that express doubt and anger toward God, arguing the Bible itself presents a "complex variety of approaches to faith" rather than demanding dogmatic certainty.

Question 8

What is the "dark night of the soul" concept in The Sin of Certainty?

Accepted Answer

The "dark night of the soul" in The Sin of Certainty refers to periods of profound spiritual despair and God's apparent absence. Enns discovered this concept from Christian mystical traditions during his own crushing doubt, comparing the believer's time of despair to Christ crying "Father, why have you forsaken me?" on the cross. Rather than viewing these dark periods as faith failures, Enns presents them as transformative experiences where believers can develop deeper trust. He describes how worship and embracing the mystical traditions helped him navigate his own spiritual darkness.

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