Wikipedia Co-Founder Larry Sanger Announces His Journey from Skepticism to Christianity

Wikipedia co-founder Larry Sanger, once a skeptic, has surprised many with his conversion to Christianity, a journey he candidly detailed in a recent blog post.

Sanger's reflective piece, titled "How a Skeptical Philosopher Becomes a Christian," chronicles his shift from questioning theology as a teenager to embracing faith in God after decades of skepticism. It’s a transformation that, by his own admission, might seem unexpected to those who knew him prior to 2020.

As a child, Sanger was known for his relentless curiosity, often posing deep theological questions that left adults around him perplexed—or occasionally exasperated. He recalls asking his parents, "What is the difference between the mind, the spirit, and the soul?"—a question that set the tone for his lifelong inquisitiveness. However, early frustrations with dismissive responses from authority figures further entrenched his doubts about religion.

By his teenage years, Sanger had deconstructed much of his belief system, adopting what he described as "methodological skepticism." This worldview carried through his graduate school years, solidifying his agnosticism. But pivotal life events, including marriage and fatherhood, began to chip away at his once steadfast stance.

His love for his family challenged his earlier belief in rational self-interest. "If I was willing to die for my wife and child, then I was acting in their interest, not mine," Sanger reflected. That realization prompted him to reconsider other deeply-held convictions, including the philosophies of Ayn Rand, whose works he had once admired.

Gradually, Sanger began to question atheism's increasingly hostile attitude toward Christian beliefs, even finding himself defending Christians in discussions. A newfound curiosity about spirituality led him to explore the occult and eventually compelled him to read the Bible cover-to-cover in just 100 days.

Through his readings, Sanger found that the Bible stood up to his rigorous questioning. "To my shock and consternation, it actually makes a lot more sense than I understood," he shared. He discovered that his questions, far from being unique, had been debated and addressed by theologians for centuries.

His exploration also included revisiting philosophical arguments for God's existence, such as the Argument from Causality and the Argument from Design. He described these concepts as fitting together "like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle," gradually building a case for belief.

By 2020, Sanger had begun praying and ultimately accepted Christ as his Savior—a moment he admits left him stunned. Since then, he has worked quietly to deepen his understanding of faith, preparing himself to articulate and defend his beliefs publicly.

Looking ahead, Sanger is compiling his insights into a book titled "God Exists: A Philosophical Case for the Christian God," aiming to present the arguments that guided his journey to faith.

This remarkable transformation from skeptic to believer underscores the power of introspection, curiosity, and the willingness to confront one’s own convictions. Larry Sanger’s story is as much about the mind’s capacity for change as it is about the enduring appeal of faith.