Simple Faith

by Stephen W. Hiemstra

As Christians, how do we know what we know? This simple question challenges the nature of information, how we learn, decision making, who we are, and who this God is that we worship. If this challenge appears optional; it is not—our post-Christian culture questions every faith assumption. Simple Faith examines these questions and discusses implications for faith and life.An important implication of this study is that faith plays a critical role into how we think, learn, and make decisions in the context of limited resources and an uncertain future. Even scientific inquiry requires faith, which normally gets hidden in untested assumptions and presumptions about what is interesting to investigate. Often the critical arguments driving our decisions are not cold hard facts, but the stories that we tell in the midst of complex decision environments.The timing of this inquiry is critical. The movement from modern to postmodern thinking has upended most institutions, but especially the Christian church. The separation of heart and mind, which characterizes modern thinking, eroded faith leaving the church in a weak position to adapt to the rapid changes accompanying postmodernism. Ironically, postmodern thinking that values storytelling favors Christian faith because the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the best story epistemology, faith, Christian philosophy, theology Christianity, knowledge, decision Spiritual growth, apologetics

360 pages, Paperback

Published April 25, 2019

About the author

Author Stephen W. Hiemstra (MDiv, PhD) is a slave of Christ, husband, father, tentmaker, economist, and writer. He lives with Maryam, his wife of thirty years, in Centreville, VA and they have three grown children.

Stephen has been an active writer throughout his career; both as an economist, and as a pastor. As an economist of 27 years in 5 federal agencies, he published numerous government studies, magazine articles, and book reviews. A Christian Guide to Spirituality is, however, his first published book. The Spanish edition, Una Guía Cristiana a la Espiritualidad, was published in September 2015 and is now available on Amazon.com.

One of Stephen's recent books, Life in Tension: Reflections on the Beatitudes, was published on August 27, 2016 in paperback and Kindle.

Stephen is currently a second career tentmaker dividing his time equally between Hispanic ministry and blogging with an online pastor theme—this online ministry normally takes the form of offering bible studies, writing commentaries on helpful books, and reflecting on spiritual topics. As a hospital chaplain intern, he worked in the emergency department, a psychiatric unit, and an Alzheimer’s unit. He is an elder in Centreville Presbyterian Church.

He has a master’s of divinity (MDiv, 2013) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC. His doctorate (PhD, 1985) is in agricultural economics from Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. Although a U.S. citizen, Stephen lived and studied both in Puerto Rico and Germany, and is conversational in both Spanish and German.

Reviews

[Joseph Gelak]

I found Simple Faith, by Stephen Hiemstra, very thought provoking and insightful. I feel like it deepened me because it is not only about what we believe, but why. Is what we believe a solid foundation? How does it answer the critics? These are important questions that are tackled skillfully.

The book does a great job pointing out the weaknesses of our post-modern culture, and how it doesn't really provide any solid solutions. I also appreciate the insight of the role of words and vocabulary in our culture and beliefs. I often wonder about how people have thoughts that they may not be able to express without the right words.

The reader is led to recognize the weakness of behavioral and rational learning methods, and how we really must practically rely on some source of authority. Scripture provides that authority.

I also very much appreciate the discussion of how the church, or some churches, have strayed from scripture, with very damaging consequences. The worship of youth is just one powerful example.

Finally, I really like the vision of how the "Jesus story continues" through the power of our lives lived in and for Christ!

[Penny]

Helpful book to examine your walk with Christ. Thought provoking.