Are you familiar with Christopher Hitchens?  Before he passed away in 2011 at the age of 62, Christopher Hitchens was one of the so-called "Four Horsemen" of the (equally) so-called "New Atheists."  In book, column, interview, and debate, he did everything he could to argue against the notion of God.  His most popular book was titled god is not Great.

     A book that appeared recently, The Faith of Christopher Hitchens, written by an evangelical Christian, seems at times to convince us otherwise.  It presents another side to Hitchens, a side that leads some to think that he was not so stridently anti-theistic after all.

     Larry Tatum, author of the book, states unequivocally that Hitchens didn't convert to Christianity before he died.  However, he cites a number of episodes in which Hitchens seemed struck by expressions of sacrificial love.  In these episodes Hitchens appears to be moved greatly by his observations of people who are acting totally selflessly on behalf of others.  He wonders out loud why anyone would do such a thing.

    Quite.  In the end, people will not believe in God because they are afraid of him.  They will believe in God because they believe he loves them.

    Doctrine is important, yes, but Jesus didn't preach doctrine.  He told stories about God's love.  For love, a simple yet at times bewildering love, is what God is most about.