Copyright: 2008

Publisher: Dutton

ISBN: 9780525950493

Tim Keller leverages his many years in the ministry in the writing of The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism.  Redeemer Presbyterian is located in Manhattan and has a young, urban attendance.  For many years Keller took time after the Sunday service to answer questions and many of those questions reflected urban youth.  "How can there be one TRUE religion?" "How could a good God allow suffering?" "Why is the church responsible for so much injustice?" "How can a loving God send people to hell?" "How can you reconcile the Bible with Science?"  These questions and others form the basis for Part 1 of this book: The Leap of Doubt.  Part 2: The Reasons for Faith, continues the discussion only in a more positive stance of explaining Christianity.  Throughout, Keller's methodical, didactic approach is highly appealing for anyone looking for a logical rather than a passionate explanation of what Christianity is all about. 

The Great Rift

As someone who follows both politics and religion, the Introduction of this book caught my attention. I am tired of the strident antagonism between those on the far left and the far right, both in the political and religious spheres.  Both sides hurl accusations at each other and rather than answering honest questions, they deflect and instead question the motives of the other side. 

Keller points out that this is largely because ideological people tend to not face their doubts.  Rather than legitimize their doubts, they get caught in an endless cycle of reinforcement due in part to confirmation bias as well as a fear of facing the fact that they might be wrong. 

Both believers and non-believers, Conservatives and Progressives need to legitimize and thoughtfully address the position of those on the other extreme.  Until you have taken an honest hard look at the other side's position, you aren't in a position to give valid answers to their questions.  It's time in America for dialogue rather than diatribe to begin to rule the day.

Thoughts

I will not here try to recap each argument of Keller's in the book.  His writing is so concise and precise that it would necessitate the reproduction of the book in order to capture the essence.  I will instead hit a few brief points that I want to be able to return to myself.

"Pharisaic people assume they are right with God because of their moral behavior and right doctrine."  "What if, however, the essence of Christianity is salvation by grace?" "The people who are fanatics, then, are so not because they are too committed to the gospel but because they're not committed to it enough."

Jesus' miracles were not a suspension of the natural order but rather a return to the natural order as originally created.

"Only if your God can say things that outrage you and make you struggle (as in a real friendship or marriage!) will you know that you have gotten hold of a real God and not a figment of your imagination."  "An authoritative Bible is not the enemy of a personal relationship with God, it is the precondition for it."

Arthur Miller's character Quentin in After the Fall views his life as a series of arguments before a bench to prove that his life is worthy.  Imagining an end with no God he proclaims "... all that remained was the endless argument with oneself, this pointless litigation of existence before an empty bench... Which, of cours, is another way of saying -- Despair."

"Jesus is the only Lord who, if you receive him, will fulfill you completely, and, if you fail him, will forgive you eternally."

"Real forgiveness is costly suffering."

Conclusion

I approached Keller's writing initially with some skepticism but I quickly began to enjoy his practical approach to Christianity.  This book is a "must read" for any non-believer and for many believers who have doubts they wish to address.  Rather than touting a pious "Christianity is the ultimate" approach, Keller brings a modest, non-nonsense application of logic and truth to the discussion.