The Reason for God Belief in an Age of Skepticism

by Keller, Timothy

• ISBN13: 9780525950493
• ISBN10: 0525950494
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-02-14
• Publisher: Viking Pr

Summary

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 isn’t Christianity more inclusive? Shouldn’t 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.

Author Biography

As the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, Tim Keller started his congregation with a few dozen people. It now draws over five thousand weekly attendees who meet in three Manhattan locations. Redeemer has since spawned a movement of churches across America and throughout major world cities. Many pastors model their churches on Redeemer and Tim-'s thoughtful style of preaching.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. ix
The Leap of Doubt
There Can't Be Just One True Religion	p. 3
How Could a Good God Allow Suffering?	p. 22
Christianity Is a Straitjacket	p. 35
The Church Is Responsible for So Much Injustice	p. 51
How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?	p. 68
Science Has Disproved Christianity	p. 84
You Can't Take the Bible Literally	p. 97
The Reasons for Faith
The Clues of God	p. 127
The Knowledge of God	p. 143
The Problem of Sin	p. 159
Religion and the Gospel	p. 174
The (True) Story of the Cross	p. 186
The Reality of the Resurrection	p. 201
The Dance of God	p. 213
Epilogue: Where Do We Go from Here?	p. 227
Acknowledgments	p. 241
Notes	p. 243
Index	p. 283
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