The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Redeemer Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, situated in Manhattan, New York City. It was planted under the ministry of Timothy Keller in 1989 and began with 50 members. By the conclusion of Keller’s pastorate in 2017, it was drawing crowds of more than 5,000 people to its worship services and had planted multiple daughter churches throughout New York City. In a 2006 survey, it was ranked as one of the 20 most influential churches in the United States.

The church, which Keller often speaks of simply as “Redeemer” in The Reason for God, is associated with a traditional style of Christian worship and a conservative interpretation of social issues, in line with its heritage as a Calvinist church rooted in classical, orthodox expressions of Reformed Christian theology.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, guided by Keller’s ministry, focused much of its attention on communicating the Christian gospel to unchurched segments of New York City’s population, including young, single professionals. Since this target group was often highly educated and active in finance, politics, and the arts, Keller’s ability to tie in illustrative material from history, philosophy, music, art, and architecture positioned him to be uniquely effective in communicating the Christian message in that context. Keller’s interactions with the unchurched New Yorkers who frequented his services at Redeemer Presbyterian Church provide much of the background material for The Reason for God.

Amid the many quotations from philosophers and thinkers in The Reason for God, none is quoted more frequently or extensively than C. S. Lewis. Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the leading Christian thinkers of the 20th century and a professor of medieval English literature at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. He had been an atheist in his early adulthood before converting to Christianity, and he became one of the most read Christian authors in the world through the publication of works like Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and the children’s fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. He is considered one of the best British writers of the 20th century, he has been honored with a spot in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey, and his works remain among the most popular Christian books in the world.

Keller draws extensively on Lewis’s writings on questions of theology and philosophy, citing widely known works such as Mere Christianity and The Abolition of Man as well as lesser-known works, like Reflections on the Psalms and Letters to Malcolm. Lewis is not only a source of quotes for Keller, however—he is also a model of Christian apologetics. Although denominationally an Anglican, Lewis famously insisted on defending not a single denomination’s view of Christian theology, but the common core of orthodox Christian doctrine, which he called “mere” Christianity. This same practice is reflected in Keller’s The Reason for God, in which Keller does not seek to defend his own Presbyterianism, but a broader vision of common Christian doctrine. Further, Lewis, like Keller, was noted for his irenic approach and his keen philosophical mind.