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| The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 98 reviews)
Sales Rank: 141
Category: Book
Author: Timothy Keller
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Studio: Dutton Adult
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
Label: Dutton Adult
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.3
ISBN: 0525950494
Dewey Decimal Number: 239
EAN: 9780525950493
ASIN: 0525950494
Publication Date: February 14, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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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 93 more reviews...
 excellent book August 8, 2008
This book is well written, clear and concise. It's well worth reading for both christians and skeptics. Some theology books can be hard reading, but Keller keeps it interesting throughout the entire book.
Everyone has a view about spiritual reality August 2, 2008
An excellent book that makes the convincing case that everyone has a view about spiritual reality, whether they deny the supernatural or not. Keller points out that even those with the most "skeptical" of views place their trust in unprovable assumptions about the world; "strong rationality" is impossible. Therefore everyone needs to think carefully about their worldview, holding to beliefs only with the strength the evidence permits. Keller's main point is to clear away brush that may have hindered your journey, and encourage you to seriously consider whether Jesus really rose from the dead and all that entails.
Keller deals with several objections to Christianity in a compassionate, but no-nonsense, manner. He takes some common views to their absurd, and self-annihilating, ends, and shows other criticisms to be ethnocentric, essentially imposing a Western, Enlightenment, individualistic, democratic, privatized view of religion (held by a minority on the planet) onto spiritual matters.
Some notable aspects of this book I haven't seen in others, or at least not tied together as they are here:
* the distinction between slavery in the ancient Roman world and more recent (and heinous) New World slavery
* an excellent discussion of how a good God could allow pain and suffering and the Christian resources to deal with suffering
* careful articulation of the lack of any objective moral grounding for human rights on the secular view
* a insightful discussion of "sin" as not merely wrongdoing, but the making of good things (e.g., children, career, social justice) into ultimate things
* a comparison of "religion" and the "gospel " (salvation through moral effort versus salvation through grace)
* a clear discussion of the resurrection and the history of the early church which basically leaves Jesus' actual bodily resurrection as the account which best explains the evidence
* a concise and accessible description of the Christian view of the complete restoration of humanity and the entire universe, as opposed to the uninspiring caricatures of heaven sometimes found in the popular mind (think clouds and harps)
All in all, a persuasive and insightful discussion that will enrich both the skeptic and believer. I would recommend this to anyone with ANY interest in spiritual matters. Keller's book may be the best work of apologetics for this generation of Westerners.
p.s.: You can listen to and watch free lectures by Keller on his book by visiting the Veritas Forum website www.veritas.org The man seems even more humble, compassionate, and even humorous in person.
Well Thought Out - Challenging Reasons July 28, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is an excellent book. While the majority of the material is the "standard apologetic material," all of it is packaged in a very helpful and accessible way for young Post-moderns. Several of the "old ideas" are even given a new, fresh twist by Dr. Tim. No ivory tower here: obviously the work is the result of interaction with real people with real questions.
This book is definitely worth the price; definitely worth the read. Do Christians just take it all on blind faith? You won't be able dismiss Belief that simply after reading this book!
A Challenge to AAs to Think about Their "Nonsense gods" July 28, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I'm a recovered alcoholic active in A.A. and devoted to researching and reporting A.A.'s Biblical roots and early successes.Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous: A Sixteen-Year Research, Writing, Publishing, and Fact Dissemination Project, Third Edition. The road block to believing in present-day A.A. is "thinking." Many newcomers are told to just drink, not think, and go to meetings. That said, they become suckers for the commonplace nonsense that "your" higher power can be a light bulb, a radiator, the group, Gertrude, Something, or a tree.God and Alcoholism: Our Growing Opportunity in the 21st Century, and The Good Book and the Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible (Bridge Builders Edition). Contrast with such talk the emphatic statement of A.A. cofounder Dr. Bob on page 181 of the Big Book that he feels sorry for the atheist, agnostic, skeptic, and critic who doubts the program. He concludes, "Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!"Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous: His Excellent Training in the Good Book As a Youngster in Vermont. Despite A.A.'s early Christian Fellowship, history of religious connections, and pioneer reliance on God and the Bible, the trend goes the way of idols.Real Twelve Step Fellowship History. My thinking is that Psalm 115 provides an adequate answer. But AAs are often told not to read the Bible. Hence, however meritorious this author's presentation may be, it stimulates thought. And stimulated thought will not, I believe, opt for prayer to a chair for recovery.
A profitable read July 28, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Reason for God has two purposes in mind. First, it seeks to provide answers to some of the most common arguments against Christianity. Second, it seeks to positively present the argument that Christianity makes sense. Both purposes are achieved admirably; the pastoral tone and absence of specialized jargon make for plain talk and clear illustrations. The message of the book, which is not particular to any denomination, comes out loud and clear: Jesus died and rose again, and this means something radical for how we live our lives and the meaning behind them. You won't find fresh perspectives--the theology is orthodox in that sense, but there is plenty to stimulate an inquisitive mind. As an example of this, consider this excerpt from the book. "It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you. Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch." I recommend this to anyone, but especially to those who are seeking or still are young in the Faith.
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