Today, three books from New York city pastor Timothy Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Each of them are worth your time.
The Reason for God was a NYT bestseller. From one review: “In this apologia for Christian faith, Keller mines material from literary classics, philosophy, anthropology and a multitude of other disciplines to make an intellectually compelling case for God. Written for skeptics and the believers who love them, the book draws on the author’s encounters as founding pastor of New York’s booming Redeemer Presbyterian Church. One of Keller’s most provocative arguments is that all doubts, however skeptical and cynical they may seem, are really a set of alternate beliefs. Drawing on sources as diverse as 19th-century author Robert Louis Stevenson and contemporary New Testament theologian N.T. Wright, Keller attempts to deconstruct everyone he finds in his way, from the evolutionary psychologist Richard Dawkins to popular author Dan Brown.”
The Prodigal God is Keller’s treatment of Jesus’s story of the prodigal son. An amazing book with tremendous insight based on Jewish culture at the time of Christ, Keller has noted that his preaching of this subject matter has encouraged more people than any other message of his. Enlightening and powerful, this book is great for yourself or as a gift.
Generous Justice is Keller’s latest. From Publisher’s Weekly: “Without ever resorting to hyperbole, Keller carefully analyzes Old and New Testament passages to make the case that God’s heart for justice on behalf of widows, orphans, immigrants, and the poor is indisputable, and that an encounter with grace will inevitably lead to a desire for justice. This short manifesto goes further: Keller argues that gospel preaching that aims only to change hearts while remaining oblivious to unjust social structures will never fully succeed. Keller recommends that evangelicals partner with non-Christians in pursuit of social reform while speaking distinctively in their own religious idiom. Emergent Christians as well as others serious about their faith and eager for a balanced and authoritative voice on the subject will appreciate this book.”
