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The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism | 
| Author: Timothy Keller
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
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Rating:  143 reviews
Sales Rank: 177
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 293
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.2 x 1
ISBN: 0525950494
Dewey Decimal Number: 239
EAN: 9780525950493
Publication Date: February 14, 2008
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Product Description
The End of Faith. The God Delusion. God Is Not Great. Letter to a Christian Nation. Bestseller lists are filled with doubters. But what happens when you actually doubt your doubts?
Although a vocal minority continues to attack the Christian faith, for most Americans, faith is a large part of their lives: 86 percent of Americans refer to themselves as religious, and 75 percent of all Americans consider themselves Christians. So how should they respond to these passionate, learned, and persuasive books that promote science and secularism over religion and faith? For years, Tim Keller has compiled a list of the most frequently voiced doubts skeptics bring to his Manhattan church. And in The Reason for God, he single-handedly dismantles each of them. Written with atheists, agnostics, and skeptics in mind, Keller also provides an intelligent platform on which true believers can stand their ground when bombarded by the backlash. The Reason for God challenges such ideology at its core and points to the true path and purpose of Christianity.
Why is there suffering in the world? How could a loving God send people to Hell? Why isnt Christianity more inclusive? Shouldnt the Christian God be a god of love? How can one religion be right and the rest wrong? Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God? These are just a few of the questions even ardent believers wrestle with today. In this book, Tim Keller uses literature, philosophy, real-life conversations and reasoning, and even pop culture to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief, held by thoughtful people of intellectual integrity with a deep compassion for those who truly want to know the truth.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 138 more reviews...
 A Must-Read for Both Believers and Skeptics February 14, 2008
365 out of 395 found this review helpful
There are many people I "know" primarily through their books. I read constantly and find that books allow me to understand the people who write them, especially when the author has written several books. As I read through the corpus of his writings I learn to understand how he thinks and learn to understand what he believes. Even if I have never met an author face-to-face, I often feel like I have met him in his books. Because Tim Keller has written so little, I do not know him in the way I feel I know many of his peers--pastors and theologians who have written extensively. So it was with great interest that I read The Reason for God, only his second book (besides edited volumes to which he has contributed a chapter) and certainly his most significant. Published by Penguin and with a positive review by Publishers Weekly, it has all the makings of a bestseller.
The Reason for God is written for skeptics and believers alike. It is a response to or perhaps an antidote to the the writings of popular authors like Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. And it is a fine one, at that. While the skeptic has several volumes he can hand to a believing friend (many of them written by the aforementioned authors), the believer has fewer to choose from. So many introductions to Christian beliefs were written many years ago and simply do not resonate with today's skeptics. They assume too much and deliver too little. Keller's volume seeks to fill that void, and it does so well.
The Reason for God arrives at a unique time, for we are at a point when both belief and skepticism are on the rise. "Skepticism, fear, and anger toward traditional religion are growing in power and influence," says Keller. "But, at the same time, robust, orthodox belief in the traditional faiths is growing as well." As each grows, those who hold to each become increasingly convinced that they are in imminent danger. The world is polarizing over religion--or at the very least our culture is polarizing over religion. "We have come to a cultural moment in which both skeptics and believers feel their existence is threatened because both secular skepticism and religious faith are on the rise in significant, powerful ways. We have neither the western Christendom of the past nor the secular, religionless society that was predicted for the future. We have something else entirely."
Attempting to find a way forward, Keller suggests that both believers and skeptics look at doubt in a whole new way. Within the book he does not make the classical distinction between believers and unbelievers, but rather between believers and skeptics. His thesis depends on this distinction between unbeliever and skeptic because, he says, we all believe something. Even skeptics have a kind of faith hidden within their reasoning. Understanding what we believe about belief is crucial. His thesis is this: "If you come to recognize the beliefs on which your doubts about Christianity are based, and if you seek as much proof for those beliefs as you seek from Christians for theirs--you will discover that your doubts are not so solid as they first appeared." He seeks to prove that thesis in the book's first part.
In the first seven chapters Keller looks at seven of the most common objections and doubts about Christianity and discerns the alternate beliefs underlying each of them. This section is titled "The Leap of Doubt" and answers these seven common critiques:
1. There can't be just one true religion
2. A good God could not allow suffering
3. Christianity is a straitjacket
4. The church is responsible for so much injustice
5. A loving God would not send people to hell
6. Science has disproved Christianity
7. You can't take the Bible literally
In the second half of the book, titled "The Reasons for Faith," he turns to an examination of seven reasons to believe in the claims of the Christian faith.
1. The clues of God
2. The knowledge of God
3. The problem of sin
4. Religion and the gospel
5. The (true) story of the cross
6. The reality of the resurrection
7. The Dance of God
The book begins with an Introduction, between the two parts is an Intermission, and following it all is an Epilogue.
The Reason for God is, at least to my knowledge, unique. The reader will soon see that Keller follows closely behind C.S. Lewis whom, along with his wife and Jonathan Edwards, he counts as his primary theological influences. Yet he sets Lewis and Edwards in a new context. And really, much of the book only makes sense within our contemporary cultural context. The arguments that matter here and now are different from those of days past and, I'm sure, different than ones in days to come. But the arguments Keller makes are compelling and reasonable and targeted pointedly at today's skeptics. If you have read our day's leading skeptics you owe it to yourself to read this as well.
Nobody but Tim Keller could have written this book. It seems likely to me that nobody but Tim Keller will agree with everything he says. For example, many believers will be uncomfortable with his defense of evolution--not the naturalistic evolution of so many skeptics, but a theistic evolution that attempts to reconcile rather than ignore the creation accounts of the Bible. Others will take issue with his description of hell and the thread of ecumenism that runs throughout the volume. But if we heed his exhortation to major on the majors, to look to what's most foundational to the faith before focusing on matters of secondary importance, both believers and skeptics have a great deal to learn from this book.
Publishers Weekly has said well that this is a book for "skeptics and the believers who love them." Believers will rejoice in a book that carefully and patiently answers the objections of their skeptical friends and does so with grace and in a way consistent with the Bible. Skeptics will see that even their skepticism is founded on some kind of faith and will be challenged to discern those underlying beliefs. May this book convince us all that we can believe and can believe reasonably, even in this age of skepticism.
Now is the time for REASON February 15, 2008
112 out of 129 found this review helpful
Just as C.S. Lewis answered the skeptics of his day, Tim Keller has written what feels very much like an updated version of "Mere Christianity". It has all the hallmarks of a classic. Like Lewis, he goes through the major objections modern people have to Christianity and shows how, by nearly logic alone, these objections are easily answered. They simply don't stand up to scrutiny and reason.
For Christians who get anxious when someone challenges their faith with conversation stoppers like, "I can't believe in a religion that believes all other religions are wrong - after all it's that kind of bigotry that has led to more wars than anything else" or, "how could a good God allow suffering" or "I can't believe in a religion that rejects science?", this book is for you. These objections are easily deflated and defeated with a little knowledge and a little logic. And Keller is a master at showing believers how they can answer these objections in a loving, patient and even charming way! When you really understand these issues, there is no reason to ever be anxious or defensive when a friend confronts you with these difficult questions.
And for non-believers, you will find Keller's logic insightful and illuminating. As he does with his Sunday sermons, which are directed to a very secular New York audience, he will challenge you to think. You may not walk away with your mind changed, but your beliefs will be challenged and your thoughts will be clarified. When we allow our beliefs to be challenged they are either changed or strengthened. So, don't be afraid to take the challenge!
The first half of the book discusses each objection in a single chapter. These objections could each have books and books written about them, but that was not the intent of this book. Don't expect a detailed treatise on each question. Rather this book gives a concise overview laying out the factual, logical, cultural and historical frameworks through which these objections should be examined.
It's full of subtle brilliance. Brilliance that doesn't hit you right away - but sneaks up on you later! I think one of the most brilliant, yet subtle thoughts Dr. Keller conveyed here was that we will never have hard, final, conclusive PROOF of God's existence or of his non-existence. But we do have clues. And each of us has to take the sum total of those clues and decide what we believe about God. This is a great book to read as a counter balance to books by Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris, etc. You owe it to yourself to consider both views.
 Swimming in the Shallow End May 5, 2008
98 out of 133 found this review helpful
The Rev. Tim Keller deserves credit for tackling the most common complaints about Christianity in his new book, "The Reason for God." Unfortunately, I found the book to be very unsatisfying on both a spiritual and intellectual level. Other readers may disagree, of course, but here's why I give it only two stars:
-- The answers to huge questions seem very shallow to me. Yes Keller is clearly a passionate believer, but his "Readers Digest" approach to vast issues of good vs. evil, life vs. death, belief vs. doubt, just don't rise to the challenge. They work well as superficial "talking points" but not as a strong foundation for faith.
For example, can anyone really explain the Christian position on "exclusivity" in 500 words? Can we really get a meaningful answer to "hell vs. salvation" in an essay that's shorter (in page-length) than "Pat the Bunny"? Can we even have faith based on reason?
As a believer myself, I don't think so. Someone who's serious about answering these questions should be willing to spend a whole lot more time digging into the issues -- and debating both sides for greater clarity. I wouldn't object so much to Keller's book if the title had been more honest -- such as "Quick Answers to Common Questions About Christianity." By calling it "The Reason for God," he sets expectations pretty high...yet doesn't really deliver.
-- Another trap Keller falls into is the tendency to sugar-coat the negatives. It's undeniably true that Christianity and most world religions have MUCH to atone for in their respective histories (massive violence, intolerance, torture, greed, fanaticism, etc.). At the same time, they have much to be proud about, from St. Francis to the local soup kitchen, from the sacrifices of Job to the wisdom of Solomon, from the beauty of Arabic architecture to the invention of algorithms in Muslim universities. It's not helpful to minimize these huge examples of light and darkness. We must live with the history of our tradition -- like it or not. (See James Carroll's new movie, "Constantine's Sword," for a moving take on this important topic.)
-- Most importantly, Keller forgets the example of Jesus' own teaching style, particularly in the first half of his book.
Christ was careful to avoid "reducing" spirituality and God to a superficial argument that the clever Pharisees could pick apart. He knew that much of what passes for "logic" is simply mean-spirited sophistry aimed at humiliation. That's why Christ often answered questions with more profound questions. His use of parables transcended the inherent limitations of language ("that's just semantics / that's just how YOU define it") to reach a higher plateau of understanding that still inspires a billion people today.
I went out to Keller's church website to download about 10 of his recent sermons -- just to see if I was missing something in the book. He's an excellent preacher and seems like an excellent pastor. But his sermons seem to fall into the same mistake: raise an enormous question, then rush through a quick answer that doesn't really satisfy. For example, on the question of whether scripture should be "authoritative," Keller concludes that is "just has to be." He doesn't explain (in the book or podcast) what "authoritative" means or what role interpretation plays in Biblical study for the average person.
BOTTOM LINE: If Christ were on a stage tonight debating Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens, I think he'd steer clear of these traps and leave us much more satisfied than Keller's new book. Ultimately, we don't need superficial answers to debating points. We need love, faith and humility -- even love for those who disagree with us.
 illogical book, could not finish it April 2, 2008
62 out of 139 found this review helpful
I really wanted this book to be good. I'm tired of all the books written by atheists the last couple of years and I read a decent review of this book in a magazine and, of course, Amazon had a very high rating on it. However, after 50 pages, I gave up. I don't remember reading something that had so much bad logic in it page after page. I think Keller ends up doing more harm than good with this book, but that's just my opinion and why I'm contributing to these reviews.
Some examples of bad logic: on refuting the charge that Christianity is a straitjacket because it restricts freedom, he says that a pianist gives up his freedom to study and play the piano. No, the pianist uses his freedom to choose to play and practice and practice. He did not give up his freedom, he used it. Keller tries to say that we need to be confined to be free and uses the pianist as an example. Wrong. He should have used the pianist in the opposite way to show that we use our freedom to choose to follow our religious beliefs.
Earlier in the book, he cites a couple of people who are not Christian and are unhappy and then cites some people who are Christian and are happy. From this extraordinarily small sample, he extrapolates from there to say that you have to be Christian to be happy. His example and conclusion are insulting and I think he hurts his cause more than helping it.
I have a very strong belief in God, I had hoped this book would provide some basis for "reasons" and found none in the first 50 pages. I was so upset with his logic, I could not go past 50 pages.
The Best Defense for Christianity March 22, 2008
61 out of 77 found this review helpful
Tim Keller's new book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, is currently #7 on the New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestseller's List - and for good reason. This is an articulate, reasonable, compassionate, and informed defense of Christianity.
Keller's book is written for both believers and skeptics and addresses the seven most common objections people have to Christiantiy.
Part One: The Leap of Doubt:
1. There can't be just one true religion
2. How could a good God allow suffering?
3. Christianity is a straitjacket
4. The church is responsible for so much injustice
5. How can a loving God send people to hell?
6. Science has disproved Christianity
7. You can't take the Bible literally.
Then Keller builds a case for the plausibility of Christiantiy in seven chapters.
Part Two: The Reasons for Faith:
8. The Clues of God
9. The Knowledge of God
10. The Problem of Sin
11. Religion and the Gospel
12. The (True) Story of the Cross
13. The Reality of the Resurrection
14. The Dance of God
This book is so good, it could become the Mere Christianity (C. S. Lewis's famous defense of Christianity written in the first half of the twentieth century) of the twenty-first century. Here's what I like about Keller. He speaks the language and understands the mind-set of postmoderns, because he has worked with them, witnessed to them, and pastored them for nearly twenty years in Manhattan. But he is orthodox in his theology, not shying away from the more difficult aspects of historical Christian doctrine. Instead, he faces these "hard doctrines," acknowledges the difficulty these pose to many people, and then offers nuanced and intelligent answers to the questions.
Keller is also a gifted communicator, drawing from an amazing breadth of philosophy, literature and popular culture. This one's a keeper. I'll read it again and hope lots of others will read it too.
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