The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

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Tim Keller (pastor of Manhattan's Redeemer Presbyterian Church) makes good on his aim to offer skeptics, seekers, and believers alike a reason for ... (show more)

Tim Keller (pastor of Manhattan's Redeemer Presbyterian Church) makes good on his aim to offer skeptics, seekers, and believers alike a reason for the God of Christianity. As an "update" on C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, Keller deals with similar themes as does Lewis, but also addresses post-modernism as it has come of age in the new millenium. While Lewis addresses a couple pages to a relativistic mindset, Keller carefully takes on the typical cultural beliefs of us Manhattanites one by one: One true religion?...Why suffering?... Christian Injustice...Science vs. God...a literal Bible?

But while the first half of the book plays defense against the common attacks of the New York culture, the second half runs the offense, showing how the "deeper, and truer" God of Christianity is the solution for our souls, our lives, and our world. The Orthodox gospel of Jesus Christ is portrayed as the third way apart from traditional moralism and post-modern secularism.

While both Lewis and Keller write deeply logical books, Lewis's tone comes across as grandfatherly and conversational, while Keller's is emotionally-concerned, yet scholarly. If you're dissatisfied with the shallow answers offered in mainstream culture and with the simply moralistic platitudes of the religious right, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of The Reason For God. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook User

No, it's a flop!

This book was written for an audience just like me when I read this book...a conservative, evangelical Christian who is having some bothersome doub... (show more)

This book was written for an audience just like me when I read this book...a conservative, evangelical Christian who is having some bothersome doubts about Christianity. Keller is talented enough a writer that he is at times fairly persuasive or perhaps very persuasive to his audience. But every once in a while one of those doubting Christians doesn't find his arguments to be persuasive enough, and they break out of the awful logic of theology and they realize that actually, the arguments for God are never anywhere near as convincing as what science can tell us about our selves and our world.
Basically Keller gets it wrong because his arguments regularly took wild jumps from the premise to the conclusion. Additionally, his arguments often took big leaps from the question to the premise.
I will say this though, of the other books Christians recommend to doubters, this one is indeed effective in adding false guilt to the doubters psyche by perpetuating a real fear of hell. This fear of hell seems to be effective in keeping the doubter a Christian most of the time. But, luckily, some doubters keep on reading, wondering and looking only for objective, verifiable information and those that do will most likely become ex-christians. (show less)

 

 

by Katherine Saville Sullivan

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  When I saw a Christian apologetic on the New York Times Best Seller list it arrested my attention. Having heard the quality of Timothy Keller’s spoken messages, I assumed the book would be a well-done apologetic. Yet, for a book defending the Christian faith to join the list of national best sellers, I anticipated it would need to connect with a broad audience in a compelling way. I was not disappointed. It is an excellent work of apologetics that is clearly and uniquely directed at argum... (show more)

  When I saw a Christian apologetic on the New York Times Best Seller list it arrested my attention. Having heard the quality of Timothy Keller’s spoken messages, I assumed the book would be a well-done apologetic. Yet, for a book defending the Christian faith to join the list of national best sellers, I anticipated it would need to connect with a broad audience in a compelling way. I was not disappointed. It is an excellent work of apologetics that is clearly and uniquely directed at arguments of the modern skeptic.

  Keller’s style is respectful and winsome, yet clear and persuasive. He builds his broad argument for Christianity on the premise that a leap of faith is required as much for the skeptic as for the believer. He explains, "All doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternate beliefs. You cannot doubt Belief A except from a position of faith in Belief B." He explains that if the skeptic and the believer will wrestle with the evidence behind their view, as well as the evidence for the view of the other, it will lead to holding our particular position “with greater clarity and greater humility.” More than any apologetic book I’ve ever read, the author uniquely and cogently deals with issues relevant to our current culture. Keller’s ability to speak to today’s well-educated, sophisticated and hip skeptic has likely developed through his metropolitan pastoral ministry in New York City.

  In the first half of the book, the author deals with seven of the most universal arguments against the Christian faith. In the second half he provides reasons to believe in the claims of Christianity. Keller draws from many great Christian thinkers such as C.S. Lewis, Jonathan Edwards, G.K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, Soren Kirkegaard, Augustine, N.T. Wright, Peter Kreeft, Alvin Plantinga and Alasdair MacIntyre. He also relies on historians, C. John Sommerville and Rodney Stark. In addition, he quotes and then counters the arguments of well-known atheist authors such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. Not only would the book challenge skeptics to think deeper about Christianity but it would also give believers a greater sense of the rationality and reasonability of their faith. The respectful tone, genuine empathy and even-handed consideration he gives to the skeptic, relativist and atheist is refreshing and appealing. The book is not equipped with moving stories or loaded with masterful and memorable quotes. Yet, it is persuasive, intelligent and accessible to the average reader. The respectful approach the book takes toward doubters would make it popular with skeptics investigating Christianity as well as with those wanting to provide an apologetic to an unbeliever.

  A clear distinction is made between pharisaical, self-righteous and judgmental brands of Christianity that are all too common; and grace based faith in Jesus Christ. Though Keller is a Presbyterian minister, his Reform theology is not prominent nor is it promoted. He ends the book with a strong but cautionary encouragement to become part of a local church. Some Christians may be bothered by a few of Keller’s conclusions. For instance, I personally don’t believe it is necessary to espouse theistic evolution, in order to reconcile the Bible and science. Yet, it should not deter more conservative believers from reading the book or recommending it to their unbelieving friends. (show less)

   

   

  by Todd Hudnall on Jun 25, 2008 at 11:27PM

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  Although this book can be classified as an apologetic book, Keller is not an apologist. You might think that this would make it a bad book, but to my surprise it doesn't!
  Keller answers 7 classic hard questions for people not to believe in God. This questions have been asked and answered in a number of ways over the years. Keller did bring something new to these questions with his perspective. There are not a whole lot of new things that Keller brought with this book, but this is not to say i... (show more)

  Although this book can be classified as an apologetic book, Keller is not an apologist. You might think that this would make it a bad book, but to my surprise it doesn't!
  Keller answers 7 classic hard questions for people not to believe in God. This questions have been asked and answered in a number of ways over the years. Keller did bring something new to these questions with his perspective. There are not a whole lot of new things that Keller brought with this book, but this is not to say it is a bad book. For someone who has not read any apologetic books, I highly recommend this as an entry point. It would broaden your views on Christianity and God. Keller divides this book into two sections. The first half he talks about the doubts of relugion in general and in the second half he approaches this with from a Christian's perspective. This is an excellent method to answer these questions, especially for non Christians. Again, I recommend this for someone who has not read any apologetic books. (show less)

   

   

  by Tanwin Tanoto on Nov 24, 2009 at 11:29PM

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