Week 1: Introduction — The Question Behind the Questions

1.Strobel opens by recounting an interview with Charles Templeton — once Billy Graham's evangelistic partner, who eventually abandoned the Christian faith. What reason did Templeton give for his departure, and what did his emotional response in that interview reveal to Strobel about the staying power of these doubts?

2.Strobel distinguishes between 'doubt as a symptom of a rebellious will' and 'doubt as an honest intellectual struggle.' Do you think that distinction is valid? Which kind of doubt do you most often experience — or observe in people around you?

3.The book is structured around eight 'rocks of doubt.' Before reading further, which of the eight objections listed in the introduction do you find most personally troubling or most frequently raised by people you know?

4.Strobel argues that faith and reason are not enemies — that rigorous investigation can actually strengthen rather than undermine belief. Do you instinctively agree or resist that claim? Why?

5.The format of the book is journalistic: Strobel interviews experts rather than simply presenting arguments in the abstract. What are the strengths and weaknesses of that approach for dealing with theological and philosophical questions?

6.Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as 'confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.' How does Strobel's journalistic, evidence-based approach sit alongside that biblical definition of faith? Are they in tension, or do they complement each other?

7.Who in your life — a friend, family member, or public figure — most resembles Charles Templeton: someone who walked away from faith because a particular objection went unanswered? What would it mean for you to be prepared to engage that person thoughtfully?