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Full Description
The American philosopher William James once said, "Faith means belief in something concerning which doubt is theoretically possible." But what happens when faith slowly recedes into doubt? What happens to the God-fearing individual who wakes up one morning and finds herself questioning the basic religious assumptions she built her life upon?
Reasonable Doubts is the memoir of a religious skeptic’s endeavor to rediscover her source of faith from the ground up after being hit by a car. On the way, she encounters various religious philosophers and thinkers, such as Saadya, Maimonides, Henry Bergson, Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, Rudolph Otto, and Abraham Joshua Heschel, who provide her with clues to a spiritual resolution. Berman utilizes scenes from the book of Job as well as snapshots from her own life to explicate the various philosophical theories that make up the stops along her journey.
Jewish literature regarding faith crises is sparse, leaving skeptics and sufferers alike secluded, precisely when they need to be embraced. Reasonable Doubts seeks to reassure those undergoing faith crises that they are not alone. Reasonable Doubts also provides philosophical suggestions toward solutions to some basic religious and spiritual quandaries. Ultimate conclusions to most of these issues, however, lie within the soul of the reader.
About the Author:
Cheryl Berman is a teacher and writer with an ability to communicate complex dilemmas of faith in relevant and pragmatic terms. After earning her Masters Degree in Medieval Jewish Philosophy from Bernard Revel Graduate School, Berman went on to teach Jewish Philosophy in various institutions of learning in New York and Israel. She now writes and teaches Jewish Philosophy in Israel, where she lives with her family.
Praise for Reasonable Doubts:
"Cheryl Berman's memoir is warm, poignant, and witty, as well as philosophically astute and informed. Her imaginative examples make complex philosophical ideas accessible and relevant. The book is proof that philosophy can speak to the problems of life – and religious life in particular – in a meaningful and inspiring way."
–David Shatz, Professor of Philosophy, Yeshiva University
"In the tradition of C.S. Lewis, Cheryl Berman has a talent for translating the most abstract and profound concepts in both philosophy and religious experience into language that speaks not only to the mind, but also to the heart and soul of her readers."
–Mali Brofsky, Senior faculty and instructor in Jewish Philosophy, Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim
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