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What is Agnosticism?

Agnosticism is the position that questions the existence of God. For some people, agnosticism is a genuine admission of uncertainty: "I don't know if there is a God." For others it means, _ "I don't think we can know."_

This matters because agnosticism is not necessarily a rejection of God. An agnostic may be open to the possibility that God exists but unconvinced by the evidence. Another may believe that God's existence is ultimately unknowable. For the Christian talking to an agnostic person, the deeper question to generally ask is "Are you willing to investigate whether Jesus is who He claimed to be?"

Key facts​

Agnosticism concerns knowledge rather than simply belief. An agnostic generally says that they do not know whether God exists, or that God's existence cannot be known with certainty. Someone can therefore be both agnostic and atheist - they do not believe in God but also do not claim certainty that God does not exist.

Agnosticism by itself does not provide a complete worldview. An agnostic may also hold beliefs about morality, meaning, science, spirituality, consciousness, life after death and human purpose.

Some are spiritually interested. Others are indifferent to religion. Some are sceptical of all religious claims.

It is therefore worth asking what the person actually means by agnostic rather than assuming every agnostic thinks the same way.

Overview​

What does an agnostic believe?​

There is no single answer. An agnostic might say:

"I don't know whether God exists."

Another might say:

"There might be a God, but I don't think we can know."

Another might say:

"I've never seen enough evidence to believe."

Another may be open to spirituality but distrust organised religion.

That is why the first step is to listen. Do not argue against a position the person does not actually hold.

Why do people become agnostic?​

People become attracted to or identify with agnosticism for many different reasons. Some have never been given a convincing explanation for Christianity. Others have heard contradictory claims from different religions, struggled with the problem of suffering and evil, and how these can be reconciled with a good and holy God.

Some value intellectual honesty and humility, believing they should not claim to know something they cannot be certain about. Others are influenced by scientific thinking, scepticism toward unsupported claims, freedom from religious pressure, openness to different possibilities, or a desire to avoid hypocrisy and pretending to have answers they do not have.

For some, agnosticism is simply the conclusion that they do not currently have enough information to decide whether God exists. Others may believe that science cannot investigate questions about God, or that the available arguments are not strong enough to justify belief.

Sharing the Gospel​

The goal of a conversation with an agnostic is not to tell them that they are wrong for being uncertain. It is to understand why they are uncertain, ask honest questions, listen carefully, and - if they are willing—investigate the question together.

Have a conversation, not a presentation. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.

Agnosticism can mean different things. Some people mean, "I don't know whether God exists." Others mean, "I don't think we can know whether God exists." Others are somewhere between belief and disbelief.

Don't assume which one they mean. Ask questions. Listen. Then respond to what they actually say.

Start with their story​

Simple questions can reveal a lot:

"What makes you agnostic?"

"Do you think God probably exists, or are you genuinely unsure?"

"Have you always been agnostic?"

"Was there a particular reason you became uncertain?"

"Have you ever seriously investigated Christianity?"

"What do you find hardest to believe about Christianity?"

"What would you need to see before you could believe?"

"If Christianity were true, would you want it to be true?"

Don't prepare your next argument while they are speaking.

The goal isn't to trap them with a clever question. It's to understand what they actually believe and what has led them there.

What would make you certain?​

Once you understand why they are uncertain, explore what they think could resolve that uncertainty.

You might ask:

"What would you need to see before you could believe?"

"Do you think there could be good evidence that God exists?"

"If you became convinced that God exists, would you want to know Him?"

"If Christianity turned out to be true, would you be willing to follow Jesus?"

Sometimes the person genuinely hasn't found enough evidence. Sometimes they aren't sure what evidence they would expect. Sometimes their uncertainty comes from suffering, bad experiences with religion, conflicting religious claims, or another question entirely.

Follow their answer.

Explore the questions that matter​

Once you've understood their position, many of the questions are the same ones you would explore with an atheist.

You don't need to give them every argument. Follow the questions that are actually relevant to them.

These might include:

These questions aren't designed to prove Christianity in one conversation.

They are opportunities to explore whether belief in God is reasonable and whether the Christian understanding of reality makes sense of the world we experience.

If a particular question is especially important to them, follow it rather than forcing the conversation through a predetermined list.

What would it take to know?​

As the conversation develops, you may reach a more fundamental question: is the person simply uncertain, or do they believe that God could not be known at all?

There is a useful distinction between "I haven't found enough evidence" and "I don't think any evidence could establish that God exists."

The first leaves the question open. The second raises a different question: Is God the kind of being whose existence we should expect to be demonstrated in the same way we demonstrate things scientifically?

This is worth exploring gently rather than assuming the answer.

You might ask:

"Do you think God could be known if He exists?"

And:

"If you became convinced that God exists, would you want to know Him?"

If they are genuinely open to the possibility, the conversation can move from "Can God be known?" to "How might God make Himself known?"

Can God be known?​

This is a particularly important question for an agnostic.

If God exists, could He make Himself known?

That doesn't mean every question about God can be answered or that God's existence can be demonstrated like a laboratory experiment. It means God has not left humanity without a witness. Christians believe He has given us reasons to look beyond ourselves through creation, conscience, reason and ultimately through His revelation in Jesus Christ.

So rather than trying to settle every philosophical question first, ask:

"If God wanted us to know Him, how would you expect Him to reveal Himself?"

That question naturally leads towards Christianity's central claim:

God has revealed Himself in Jesus.

Many religions make claims about God, revelation, salvation and the nature of reality. Christianity is different in that its central claim ultimately rests on a person and on something that can be verified in history - Jesus Christ and the cross

So rather than trying to work out every religious claim in the world, perhaps we could start there.

If they're willing to investigate Christianity​

At this point, you don't need to have answered every question or resolved every doubt.

You can simply say:

"Rather than trying to work out every religious claim in the world, why don't we start with Jesus?"

Read one of the Gospels together. Look at what Jesus said and did, what He claimed about Himself, how He treated people, why He died, and why His followers proclaimed that He had risen.

Take them through the evidence for the cross and the price Jesus paid, then move to the evidence for the resurrection.

Then ask:

"What do you make of Him?"

The goal isn't to pressure someone into certainty. It is to give them an opportunity to investigate the central claim of Christianity for themselves.

The Christian claim isn't simply:

"There is probably a God."

It is:

"God has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ."

From belief in God to following Jesus​

It is possible to become convinced that God exists and still remain far from Christianity. The Gospel isn't simply, "Believe in a higher power." It is, Jesus is Lord. Jesus calls people to repent, believe, follow Him, deny themselves, love God and love others.

So once someone has become willing to investigate Jesus, please don't leave the conversation at intellectual agreement. Ask:

"If Jesus really is who He claimed to be, what would that mean for you?"

And eventually:

"What will you do with Jesus?"

This isn't a trick question or a pressure tactic. If Jesus really is Lord, then the question isn't merely whether we can intellectually accept that He existed. It is whether we are willing to respond to Him.

If they aren't ready​

Not everyone will be ready to move towards Jesus immediately. That's okay. Don't turn the conversation into a battle. You can say:

"Would you be interested in continuing the conversation another time?"

Give them room to think. Pray for them. Keep listening. The goal isn't to win an argument. It is to faithfully point someone towards Jesus while treating them with the dignity, patience and love that Christ commands - "come and see."

Questions to Ask​

About uncertainty​

  • What makes you uncertain about God?
  • Have you always been agnostic?
  • What would make you more confident?
  • Do you think God can be known?
  • Are you open to the possibility that Christianity is true?
  • Would you follow the evidence wherever it led?

About evidence​

  • What would you consider good evidence for God?
  • Have you investigated the Christian claim seriously?
  • Have you read one of the Gospels?
  • What do you think about Jesus?
  • Do you think historical claims can provide evidence for spiritual questions?

About the universe​

  • Why do you think anything exists rather than nothing?
  • What do you think is the ultimate explanation for the universe?
  • Why is the universe intelligible?
  • What do you make of the apparent fine-tuning of the universe?

About morality​

  • Do you believe some things are objectively right and wrong?
  • Where does moral obligation come from?
  • Why should human beings be treated as having equal value?
  • Is morality ultimately a matter of preference?

About Jesus​

  • Who do you think Jesus was?
  • Have you read what He actually said?
  • What do you make of His claims about Himself?
  • Why did Jesus willingly go to the cross?
  • What do you think happened after His death?
  • If Jesus really rose from the dead, would you be willing to follow Him?
The most important question

If you don't know whether Jesus is Lord, are you willing to honestly find out?

Common questions and objections​

Keep these answers conversational rather than turning them into apologetics seminars. The aim is not to win an argument, but to listen, answer briefly and bring the conversation back to Jesus.

By and large these are similar to those of atheists but agnostics are more focused on evidence or the need for reliability so to speak.

There are so many religions. Why think Christianity is right?​

It's a fair question and Christianity stands or falls on particular claims about Jesus - especially His identity, death and resurrection which can be investigated historically. See How can Christianity be the only true religion?, then bring the conversation back to Jesus Christ.

Also see:

How can you know Jesus really existed? How do you know Jesus actually rose from the dead?​

Jesus is one of the best-attested figures from the ancient world, including outside the New Testament. The more significant question isn't really whether Jesus existed, but who He was and what happened to Him.

The resurrection is a historical claim, so Christians shouldn't simply say "believe it because the Bible says so." See What evidence is there that Jesus really existed? and How do we know Jesus rose from the dead? The historical evidence, then bring the conversation back to Jesus Christ.

Even if one ignores the Biblical records, there are Roman, Syrian and Greek records. Furthermore, the disciples' experiences and refusal to recant even when dying, the rapid emergence of the church are some of the things that need to be considered.

Why would a good God send good people to hell? What about people who are good but don't believe?​

Christianity isn't fundamentally a competition between “good people” and “bad people.” Nor does Christianity teach that heaven is a reward for people who have managed to be good enough. God isn't eagerly looking for reasons to condemn people. Hell is connected to humanity's rejection of God, while the gospel is God's offer of reconciliation through Christ; God's justice and mercy meet at the cross. The gospel is that salvation is a gift of grace through Jesus, because none of us is as good as we imagine ourselves to be. The gospel says all of us need grace, and the good news is that God offers reconciliation with Him through Jesus.

See Is hell real and would a loving God send good people there?, and Can good people go to heaven without Jesus?, then bring the conversation back to God.

How can you trust the Bible when it was written and edited by flawed humans?​

The Bible was indeed written through flawed human authors, and Christianity doesn't claim otherwise - it claims that God worked through them to communicate His revelation. The manuscript evidence is also remarkably strong - over 40 authors (most of which never met) over a period of 1500 years and yet a consistent message. Thousands of ancient manuscripts, along with discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, allow us to compare copies and see how reliably the text was transmitted.

See Can we trust the Bible if it has changed over time?, and How can the Bible be trusted if it was written by men?, then bring the conversation back to the authenticity of the Bible and its message — Jesus.

If God is all-powerful and all-loving, why does He allow natural disasters to kill innocent children?​

This is one of the hardest questions Christianity has to face, and we shouldn't pretend otherwise. The Christian answer isn't that suffering doesn't matter - it is that God entered our suffering in Jesus to free us from the bondage of sin. See Why does God allow evil and suffering if He is good, then bring the conversation back to God.

Why does the Old Testament God command actions that modern humans find morally wrong?​

Some Old Testament commands are genuinely difficult. The deeper issue though appears more to be about whether God has the right to judge evil, corruption and human rebellion; and what that means for us. The nations judged in the Old Testament were repeatedly associated with extreme practices including child sacrifice, ritual violence and systemic moral corruption. God was patient and gave repeated warnings and opportunities to repent before judgment, as seen with Nineveh, Sodom and to Israel itself.

Biblical language about "destroying nations" is different to that of our language today. It did not always mean total extermination, especially since many of those people groups repeatedly appear later in Scripture. Jesus Himself affirmed both God's justice and God's mercy, ultimately taking judgment upon Himself through the cross to offer forgiveness to humanity.

See Why did God command the destruction of nations in the Old Testament?

Why does God value blind faith over the critical thinking and reason He supposedly gave us?​

Blind belief isn't the goal of Christianity. Christians believe there are reasons for faith, but those reasons don't remove every possible doubt or turn faith into a mathematical proof.

See Is faith just blind belief for the weak or is there evidence? and then bring the conversation back to God.

That's ultimately a historical question worth investigating. Christianity is unusually rooted in claims about real people and events - particularly the life, death and resurrection of Jesus - rather than simply a set of timeless moral stories.

Also see:

Why does God remain hidden instead of revealing Himself clearly to everyone alive today?​

It's reasonable to ask God for that. But God has already made Himself known - not only through creation, but supremely through Jesus, whose life, death and resurrection are at the centre of the Christian faith. He wants more than intellectual acknowledgement. He invites us into relationship with Him, and Jesus is God's clearest self-revelation.

Why are Christians so deeply divided on major moral and theological issues if the Holy Spirit guides them?​

The existence of denominations does not change who Jesus is or what He taught. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Church, not any human leader or organization. Christians often agree on the core gospel while differing on secondary issues such as church structure, worship styles, and traditions.

God calls people first to follow Christ and His Word before identifying with a particular denomination. Christianity doesn't promise that every Christian will interpret everything correctly; the existence of disagreement is an argument for humility and careful interpretation, not necessarily evidence that Christianity is false.

If Christianity is the ultimate truth, why doesn't statistical data show that Christians live significantly more moral lives than non-believers?​

Sometimes they absolutely are hypocrites - and we as Christians should be the first to admit it. See Why are there so many hypocrites in churches?, then bring the conversation back to Christ. Christianity doesn't claim Christians are morally perfect; it claims that we are sinners who need grace and are being changed by Jesus.

Helpful Bible passages​

  • Acts 17:16–34 Paul speaks to people who do not share his Jewish background and begins with their worldview before proclaiming Jesus and the resurrection.

  • John 1:1–18 Jesus is presented as the eternal Word through whom all things were made.

  • Romans 1:18–25 Paul describes humanity's response to God and the created order.

  • Psalm 19:1–4 Creation declares the glory of God.

  • John 20:24–29 Thomas struggles with belief and Jesus meets him in his doubt.

  • Luke 24:13–35 Jesus walks with disciples who are struggling to understand what has happened.

  • 1 Peter 3:15–16 Be ready to give an answer, but do so with gentleness and respect.

  • John 14:6 Jesus' claim to be the way, the truth and the life.

  • Matthew 28:18–20 Jesus' authority and the Great Commission.

A challenge for Christians​

Agnosticism should challenge us too. We can complain that unbelievers don't know enough about God while spending very little time knowing Him ourselves. We can demand that others investigate Christianity while neglecting Scripture. We can tell someone that Jesus is Lord while living as though we are still in control. We can argue that God is real while failing to pray. We can talk about faith while refusing to trust God in difficult circumstances. We can invite people to follow Jesus while failing to follow Him ourselves.

So ask yourself:

Does my life give people a reason to take my words about Jesus seriously?

Do I resemble Jesus? Am I becoming more loving? Am I obeying what Jesus commanded? Am I living by the Spirit? Am I serving others? Am I making disciples?

The goal is not merely to move someone from "agnostic" to "theist" - it is to help them meet Jesus, believe Him, obey Him and become His disciple.

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