In an indifferent universe, the only meaning is that which we make ourselves. Making Sense of God begins from Tim’s observation that, although many in the secular west think religious belief is not just wrong, but irrelevant and even harmful, there are many people who want to … A Reformed pastor who is hip. Perhaps the most universal value in modern secular societies is individual freedom to make our own choices provided we don’t harm others. An invitation to the sceptical. But no money back guarantee!! Having read it, I will read it again. Can it have any meaning at all? Our worth is based on the value God has placed on us, not on achievements, race or relationships – or even our efforts to be moral. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. To answer that question, Keller offers a concise summary of the arguments presented in The Reason for God. Our society places such faith in empirical reason, historical progress, and heartfelt emotion that it’s easy to wonder: What role can Christianity play in our modern lives? If you do buy it, I hope you won’t be disappointed. Suicide rates are climbing in many secular cultures, and polls show that there is declining confidence in the future. Naturally, The Reason for God discussed the rational, while Making Sense of God focuses on the emotional and cultural, making the case for Christianity's relevance in both spheres. Yes, I thought Reason for God lacked guts a little, and was unlikely to impress a lot of people who were looking for something more rigorous. As you’d expect, Keller argues that christian faith provides the sense of satisfaction that secularism struggles to give. Keller’s previous bestseller, The Reason for God (2008) was also written for those who aren’t Christians, which “has been helpful to many, [but] does not begin far enough back for many people” (from the blurb). God adopts people who are completely unworthy, because He adopts on the basis of His grace. Traditionally secularism has believed in the idea of progress, but optimism is beginning to crumble in the light of issues such as climate change.But humans are future-focused, and we need hope. Naturally, The Reason for God discussed the rational, while Making Sense of God focuses on the emotional and cultural, making the case for Christianity's relevance in both spheres. Keller rightly notes that a focus on individual freedom has in many instances led to a fairer society, but thinks the narrative has gone awry. In contrast, he points out that christian identity comes not from our performance, but from a God who loves us regardless and calls us his children. ( Log Out /  But at the same time I thought it was well-written, polite, and better than much that passes for christian apologetics. Perhaps Keller (Redeemer Presbyterian Church; The Reason for God) should have titled his book "making sense with God," since he sets out to show that the world makes the most sense from a Christian perspective. In Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering he spends a solid third of the work showing the way secularism has a very high bar to meet when it comes to making sense out of suffering as well. The main section of the book addresses 7 aspects of life where Keller thinks that christianity offers more than secularism, and hence shows itself more likely to be correct. The book concludes with two chapters arguing (briefly) that theism, and christianity in particular, are reasonable. Keller's main point for both books is to explain how Christianity makes sense emotionally, culturally, and rationally. Take human thought. He affirms that this modern approach avoids people being locked into societal roles by privilege or lack of it, but he also argues that this view is a great burden (because our identity depends on our performance, achievements and style) and it doesn’t achieve what is hoped. Sitewide Banner Message The Well Bookstore is only open for curbside pickup which will be available Monday through Thursday from 9:00-4:00 and Fridays from 9:00-12:30. And this is what the rest of the book is mostly about. 🙂. Is there reason to believe in God? By contrast, Christianity claims there is objective, eternal Meaning that can be discovered, and teaches that suffering is a terrible reality that can still have purpose. It’s not just that Christianity isn’t overwhelmed by the problem of evil, but that it offers help for a universal problem … carefully. Creating a … In chapter six, Keller moves on to our personal identity, noting the differences between the traditional concept of the self being “defined and shaped by both internal desires and external social roles and ties” and our modern, Western identity based on individualism and detachment. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. So his book attempts to argue that christian belief is culturally relevant, that it makes “more sense of a complex world and human experience” than do secular worldviews. Since God is our master, we must be His … ... As I did, I took a lot of notes on Keller's ideas and claims that didn't make sense or didn't add up. Also, an extreme focus on individual freedom and personal fulfilment actually threatens freedom itself, as self-absorbed individuals undermine communities and democratic institutions. The reason he gives for such a prequel is that he felt the need to offer a well-reasoned position as to why people might (or could) be motivated to consider a reasoning for God in the first place. It is a fine sentiment, but Keller argues it is insufficient for a whole variety of practical reasons. Most atheists would argue that there is no “given” meaning to life, we are free to give life whatever meaning we choose. But I personally find the arguments about meaning, ethics, free will, identity, etc quite convincing, more perhaps than he does, so I really appreciated the discussion and the references to other thinkers, sociologists, psychologists, philosophers, etc. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7 NIV). Making Sense of God's Will . 51 quotes from Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical: ‘Actually, it is quite natural to human beings to move toward belief in God. The desire for instant gratification is the enemy of common sense. Since God created everything that exists, He is the owner and master of everything, including us. Sharon Jaynes July 8, 2009 General Inspiration, Trusting God 5 Comments. Therefore, everything we use in our daily lives, and all of the essential things that we require to survive, are due to God. Our desires are constantly changing and often contradictory, and we can’t base our sense of who we are on them. ( Log Out /  Even if we eschew material success and base our identity on the love of another, if this is lost we will be devastated. He is arguing that christianity is a more, Scientific (and historical) hypothesis are tested by how much of the evidence they. I remember thinking at the time that it was good, but probably would only convince those who were already questioning their unbelief. Keller then goes on to ask which of secularism or religion provides the better foundation for human rights. This means that instead of asking religious people to prove their beliefs, we need to compare religious and secular beliefs based on their evidence, consistency, and success in accounting for our experiences. I enjoyed it greatly and was informed by it. ... “I believe that the difference in death rates can be traced to the fundamental human need for a reason to live.”6 Gawande goes on to ask “why simply existing—why being merely housed … Gilkey concluded that only faith in God, exemplified by former Olympic athlete Eric Liddell who was interred in the camp, enabled people to be truly unselfish in such circumstances. If we consider that we are created by God, then God has determined our purpose and the constraints we should live by. These chapters give a quick overview of the classic arguments that most of us are familiar with, but are intended as an adjunct to the main chapters. Hi Eva, nice to hear from you. 336 pages. This hope is based in the reality of the resurrection of Jesus, who has defeated death for us. But this is the message of Christianity – that there is hope beyond death, that love will survive. It has produced the “harm principle”, where we believe we should be free to live as we please as long as we don’t harm anyone else. I tried to hint at this in my initial comments without being too critical. The ephemeral nature of satisfaction and our desire for something that the world cannot supply points to our being “made for another world” as C.S. Tim Keller is well known these days. Yes, there is the danger of becoming the oppressors when confronting oppression, and Christianity has often done so, but this has always contradicted the gospel. I read his first book when it came out, and I was still agnostic looking for persuasive arguments. And, he observes, it isn’t just facts and arguments they want: Believers and nonbelievers in God alike arrive at their positions through a combination of experience, faith, reasoning, and intuition. In case it would ... compare them with your own notes. In what is probably his strongest chapter, Keller introduces the moral argument for God’s existence, noting that it has influenced many sceptical friends. 2016 **** This book is considered to be a prequel to Tim Keller’s excellent 2008 book Reason for God.The author wrote the book to bring secular readers to a place where they might find it even sensible and desirable to … Firstly, Keller notes the disdain postmodern culture treats having meaning in life. Today’s Truth “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. No-one can “assume an objective, belief-free, pure openness to objective evidence”. At some point, for most of us, as it was for some biblical writers, God stops making sense. Wisdom allows us to see life the way God does. And as in all relationships, both parties sacrifice their freedoms, God having done so by Jesus Christ becoming mortal and dying for us. These created meanings can serve us well, and we must not tell secular friends their lives have no meaning. In terms of key facets of human life, meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, hope and justice, Christianity makes sense. He concludes with Langdon Gilkey’s powerful story of selfishness in a Second World War prison camp, where rationality proved insufficient as a basis for moral obligation when resources were scarce. But where can we find it? "The Reason for God" is divided into two parts. Making Sense of God begins from Tim’s observation that, although many in the secular west think religious belief is not just wrong, but irrelevant and even harmful, there are many people who want to consider and discuss belief in God. 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