About this title: 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.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: HODDER & STOUGHTON GENERAL DIVISION Country = UNITED KINGDOM
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780340979334ISBN:034097933X
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 320 pages. An intelligent, intellectually rigorous examination of why the christian faith still makes sense in an age of scepticism (Paperback) read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780340979327ISBN:0340979321
Description: Very Good in Very Good jacket. First Edition. A hardback First Edition in Very Good condition, in a Very Good dustjacket. This book is in stock now in our UK premises. read more
Description: New. 1594483493 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! NEW Book! May have remainder mark. Most orders ship within 1 BUSINESS DAY with ORDER CONFIRMATION. Great Book at a Great Value! read more
Edition: Reprint
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Group Usa
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781594483493ISBN:1594483493
Description: New. 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. read more
Binding: Hardback
Publisher: HODDER & STOUGHTON GENERAL DIVISION Country = UNITED KINGDOM
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9780340979327ISBN:0340979321
Description: BRAND NEW HARDBACK. 320 pages. An intelligent, intellectually rigorous examination of why the christian faith still makes sense in an age of scepticism. (Hardback) read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: HODDER & STOUGHTON GENERAL DIVISION
ISBN-13:9780340979334ISBN:034097933X
Description: New. PLEASE NOTE: All books are promptly shipped from our UK warehouse using Royal Mail International Priority mail. Heavier or more expensive books are shipped with a TRACKING NUMBER. Professional and reliable bookseller (est.1987). read more
Description: New. Please note that deliveries to addresses in the UK and Europe will be in 4-14 business days. Other countries should refer to Alibris standard times. ISBN10: 034097933X. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: HODDER & STOUGHTON GENERAL DIVISION
ISBN-13:9780340979334ISBN:034097933X
Description: New. PLEASE NOTE: All books are promptly shipped from our UK warehouse using Royal Mail International Priority mail. Heavier or more expensive books are shipped with a TRACKING NUMBER. Professional and reliable bookseller (est.1987). read more
"This is the first book I've read in a long time, possibly even the first book ever, that is a well-reasoned, intellectually satisfying argument for the existence of God and his divinity in Jesus Christ.
One of the things I like most about Keller's writing is that he comes across as a down-to-earth person who obviously has great respect and patience for people's questions. Not having grown up a Christian, I have often had great difficulty relating to people who speak "Christianese" and justify faith using only the Bible, but Keller's arguments put God and Jesus in a rational, scientific, and historical context. He frames the book in two sections: confronting doubts about Christianity (scientific, cultural, Biblical, historical, etc.) and analyzing the foundations of its claims (particularly about Jesus).
The book comes down to a conclusion that I've heard in many other places--Jesus wasn't just an enlightened teacher. If you read everything he says in the Bible, you will quickly conclude that either he was the son of God . . . or he was a stark raving nutcase. But it's one or the other.
I want to summarize parts of the book here, but I would have to water it down too much for a small post, and I don't think I could do it justice. If I had to recommend one book, though, that sums up all of the reasons why I am a Christian, why my doubts six years ago were not enough to keep me from becoming one, and why, though I continue to struggle with faith, I keep coming back to Christ, it would be this one.
You won't find any irrefutable proof of God in this book (or in life, for that matter), but Keller makes an excellent, gently stated argument."
"The author started a church in the late 1980s -- a Bible-believing, Christ-centered church with orthodox, traditional teachings. In Manhattan. That would be the equivalent of forming a nudist colony in Alaska in January. Except that the church, Redeemer Presbyterian, has grown to more than 5,000 people and fostered a number of daughter churches. Not surprisingly, Timothy Keller has heard all of the objections to orthodox Christianity from skeptical Manhattanites. The first half of "The Reason for God" consists of answers to the most common of those objections. The second half takes the offensive and argues the case for belief in God in general and Christianity in particular. To me, the most interesting chapter was Chapter Nine, "The Knowledge of God." After a chapter in which Keller outlines the reasons for believing in God, he argues in Chapter Nine that, in a way, those arguments are immaterial. You already know there's a God, whether you admit it or not. He succeeds with me, because I already know that I already know there's a God. I don't know if he would succeed with people who say they are nonbelievers, but it seems to me he makes a strong case. The Epilogue also is especially good. It basically addresses the question: Now that I know this, what do I do? For me, this book covered a lot of familiar ground. In the end, though, I still felt it was worth the time spent reading it."
Keller's logical progression reminds me of a philosophy class. I can't figure a way out of his logic. In fact, he makes such a strong case for the existence of God that a nonbeliever is left to throw up their hands and simply deny reason and (ironically) have clinging faith in their disbelief. His argument that Christianity is the one true religion also is compelling, certainly it seems to be the one of broadest logical appeal.
Everyone should read the first section, a great defense of some of the more unfair criticisms of christianity.
The hard part is the same as always-the acceptance of Christ as the Messiah who rose from the dead. He acknowledges the difficulty of this in part because of the implications of its acceptance. I like the quote from U2's Bono which pretty much said Christ cannot be accepted as simply another prophet or a teacher, because He claimed to be the Messiah. Since he made that claim, he is either the Messiah or he is a nutcase. If the latter, you can ignore him. If the former, you must change your life. There's really no in between. Nonetheless, the evidence of the resurrection is hard to believe. Can't help but be skeptical, despite the testimonies. I like the quote from the Bible, that Keller cites, saying that when several of the apostles saw Jesus, after his death, some stared in disbelief. Its comforting somehow to realize that even among the eyewitnesses, this is a tough story to swallow. What makes it doubly difficult is that if one does accept it, you MUST change your life. Not easy. I go to sunday mass, I like hearing the thoughful teachings, I like taking the quiet thoughtful time to inventory my life, I like to pray, I like the church community. But honestly, that acceptance hasn't come to me. I can't explain why not. Not yet at least."
"This is one of those, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" books. i didn't pick up this book to make fun of it. i read it because i would like to hear an intelligent plausible argument for the existence of God. I am sure there is one, but you won't find it in this book. To paraphrase the author: why did Jesus have to die for our sins? Well, if your neighbor accidentally ran into your wall and it wasn't covered by insurance, someone would have to pay for the damages. So even if you forgave your neighbor, he'd still have to pay for the repairs. Thus, God sent his son to pay for the damages of our sins, even though he forgave us. Want more logic like this? Basically God exists because the author just can't imagine how we could have such a wonderful world without God. Why is there pain and suffering? The answer is for Him to know and for us to find out. ( ie., mere mortals can't be expected to figure out the answer.)"
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