Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical (ENCORE) | with Tim Keller
May 26, 2023
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Dr. Timothy Keller, a renowned pastor and author, discusses his book 'Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical'. He explores the obstacles to belief in skeptics and aims to awaken their sense of transcendence. Topics include the misconceptions about religion and secularism, finding satisfaction in a secular life, understanding sin and idolatry, and finding identity in God. Dr. Keller's work leaves a lasting impact on Christian apologetics.
Addressing cultural and emotional obstacles is essential in helping skeptics believe in God.
Christianity offers a deeper and more fulfilling sense of meaning, satisfaction, freedom, justice, and hope compared to other worldviews.
Deep dives
The Importance of Addressing Obstacles to Belief
Addressing the obstacles that skeptics face in believing in God is crucial. It is not enough to provide reasons and arguments alone, as there are other cultural and emotional barriers that hinder belief. The podcast explores how these obstacles can be overcome, particularly when reaching out to secular and skeptical individuals. Dr. Tim Keller, a recognized expert in engaging skeptics, shares insights from his experience pastoring in New York City, one of the most skeptical areas in the world. The discussion highlights the need to show how Christianity can address the deeper longings and concerns that skeptics have.
The Importance of Meaning and Purpose
Meaning and purpose are fundamental aspects of human existence. The podcast emphasizes that Christianity offers a unique perspective on these essential aspects of life. Dr. Keller's book, 'Making Sense of God,' compares the different concepts of meaning and argues that while other worldviews may provide some level of meaning, Christianity offers a deeper and more fulfilling sense of purpose. By exploring the concepts of discovered meaning and created meaning, the book demonstrates how Christianity provides better resources for fulfilling six core transcendent desires: meaning, satisfaction, identity, freedom, justice, and hope.
Dispelling Myths about Religion and Secular Beliefs
The podcast raises important points about the myths surrounding religion and secular beliefs. First, it challenges the perception that religion is dying out and the world is becoming more secular. While there may be a decline in religious adherence in certain areas, globally, religion is actually growing. Second, the podcast debunks the myth that secular people base their beliefs solely on reason, while religious people rely solely on faith. It argues that both skeptics and religious individuals hold their own set of beliefs, and reasoning and faith are present in both worldviews. This challenges the assumption that secular beliefs are purely rational and objective, while religious beliefs are purely subjective and irrational.
Identity, Freedom, and Grace
The podcast explores the concept of identity and how it influences our perception of ourselves and others. It distinguishes between the traditional and modern ways of identity formation and highlights the inherent pitfalls of both approaches. By contrast, it presents the Christian perspective, which emphasizes finding identity in God's grace. The discussion delves into the idea that true freedom is not merely the absence of constraints, but rather finding the right constraints in accordance with our nature. The Christian identity, grounded in grace, allows individuals to avoid pride and exclusion while fostering humility and inclusivity.
How can you help secular people make sense of God? Cultural, emotional, and volitional obstacles often stand in the way of belief for skeptics, even when they are presented with reasonable arguments. How can we address those obstacles to move the skeptic towards faith in Christ?
In this special edition ENCORE podcast episode, Frank interviews world renowned pastor and best-selling author, Dr. Timothy Keller, who recently passed away from pancreatic cancer. Recorded back in 2016, Dr. Keller discusses his book ‘Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical’, which includes essential truths that are still relevant for both Christians and skeptics today. This is not your typical apologetics book, because it does more than provide factual evidence for the truth of Christianity. It aims to awaken the sense of transcendence that most of us have latent in our intuitions and desires—meaning, satisfaction, freedom, hope, justice (or a moral compass), and an identity grounded in something stable, something eternal.
While we mourn the passing of Dr. Keller, we are truly grateful for the legacy he leaves behind. His contributions to the Church at large and Christian apologetics remain relevant and are sure to have a lasting impact on future generations.
Memoriam for Tim Keller: https://bit.ly/3MXMlrS
Buy Tim's book: https://a.co/d/c7JrbG1
Sermons by Tim Keller: https://bit.ly/3IJojP0
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