On Thursday, March 6, Cairn University’s School of Divinity hosted the annual Church Leaders Conference, welcoming pastors, laypeople, and ministry leaders for a day of encouragement and learning. Keynote speaker Dr. Joshua Chatraw, the Billy Graham Chair for Evangelism and Cultural Engagement at Beeson Divinity School, spoke on “Helping the Doubting, Disillusioned, and Deconstructing,” drawing from his co-authored book, Surprised by Doubt: How Disillusionment Can Invite Us into a Deeper Faith.
In three sessions, Dr. Chatraw explored the personal nature of apologetics, using the metaphor of a house to illustrate the progression of faith to deconstruction.
In his first session, he examined the current cultural moment, particularly how social influences shape the faith of younger generations. He emphasized that those struggling with doubt often wrestle with past interpretations of Christianity that feel inadequate in addressing justice and suffering. Rather than solely needing a path forward, they also need to make sense of their Christian past.
Dr. Chatraw then identified four truths that inevitably shape one’s journey of faith or deconstruction:
- The big questions of life can’t be strictly proven or disproven.
- Our background and history shape our interpretation of faith.
- Everyone must choose where they will “live” in terms of belief.
- This choice is influenced by intellectual, social, emotional, and existential factors.
In his second session, Dr. Chatraw outlined four common destinations for those who feel unsupported in their doubts:
- New atheism (outright rejection of faith),
- Optimistic skepticism (uncertainty but openness),
- Open spirituality (embracing alternative spiritualities), and
- Mythic truth (viewing faith as metaphor rather than reality).
As he focused on the second point, optimistic skepticism, a key theme prevailed: how Christians respond to those questioning or experiencing suffering—a major driver of doubt. He cautioned against overconfidence in explaining suffering, which can alienate those in pain. Instead, he urged believers to embrace and share the Bible’s complex, nuanced approach to suffering, recognizing that its different perspectives are complementary rather than contradictory.
In his final session, Dr. Chatraw encouraged a renewed vision of faith through the metaphor of “Main Floor Christianity.” This aimed to help those struggling with doubt move beyond intellectual arguments to experiencing faith as a lived reality. He distinguished between looking at Christianity (analyzing it) and looking along it (experiencing its light). He stressed that faith must not be reduced to institutional structures but should be centered on Jesus Himself.
Ultimately, Dr. Chatraw concluded that doubt, rather than being feared, can be used for good. It allows God to deepen faith, strengthen understanding, and ultimately bring believers into a more mature and resilient faith and, in turn, that way of thinking can be shared with others struggling with doubt.
