If I don’t write about #22 now, chances are it’ll take forever to happen.
The Reason for God is an intellectual, thoughtful exploration presenting a solid case for Christianity. Until now I was unfamiliar with Timothy Keller, the respected speaker and minister of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan. I checked this one out from the library and spent my sweet time reading it, and now a friend has lent me some of his sermons I’ll now be listening to at work.
Much of this material originates from question/answer sessions Keller once gave after sermons. Early on, we’re presented with cultural and philosophical observations on the modern secular and churchgoing world, and given an alternate view to some of Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion arguments. C.S. Lewis is quoted in every chapter, and the ideas here correspond pretty close to those from Mere Christianity. (Re: “The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.”)
One of his aims is to answer hang-ups scholarly people have on certain issues. The approach definitely comes as a breath of fresh air in the world of Christian literature. Where other books are written primarily for skeptics, seekers, or believers, this one isn’t for one particular type of person, and also works for those who don’t fit into one group so neatly.
New York Magazine said : “(He’s) the most successful Christian evangelist in the city by recognizing that young professionals and artists are ‘disproportionately influential’ in creating the country’s culture and that you have to meet this coveted demographic on its own terms.”
Tags: 2009 in Books, Christianity, religion, The Reason for God, Timothy Keller
