I previously introduced Tim Keller’s new book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. Pastor Keller was graciously willing to field a few questions from me. My chapter 1 question wanders off the theme of Keller’s book–probably because it is something I’ve unconsciously been wanting to ask for awhile. I left it here because others might be curious and the book to which Keller refers (due out in May 2008) sounds very good. Hopefully, this brief interaction whets your appetite for some of the content in the early chapters.
CHEDIAK: In your book’s Introduction, you talk about how the world is polarizing over religion. The recent books on atheism suggest that secularism has its staunch adherents. You also note that the number of Americans answering “no religious preference” to poll questions has doubled or even tripled in the last decade. But yet religion is on the rise in academia. Islam is growing exponentially in Europe and the Christian faith is explosively spreading in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Can you talk a little bit about the distinction between religion and spirituality? We often hear them contrasted by people who say they are “spiritual, but not religious.” Among non-materialists, would you say that both formal religion and spirituality are on the rise? Is that another polarization in our culture (if you will)—between people who privatize their spirituality and those who gravitate to something closer to biblical orthodoxy?
KELLER: As the older mainline churches (which virtually everyone used to belong to) are dying, people now have three options: a) some version of secularism/materialism-disbelief in anything spiritual or supernatural, b) a self-constructed, patchwork spirituality, c) some form of robust, supernatural faith (of either a cultic or orthodox type.) Yes, among non-materialists both religion and spirituality are on the rise. It is one more tension, because often orthodox believers find the self-made spirituality more nutty and weird than straight-up materialism.
CHEDIAK: In Chapter 1, you acknowledge that although religion can be a major threat to world peace, Christianity itself cultivates peace making among its adherents. One of the real fears among the political left is that evangelicals want to take over the government and force their views onto others. Would you say that, rightly understood, Christianity is (as Darryl Hart has suggested) a “secular faith”—favoring the separation of church and state? And if so, how (if at all) does this relate to your view of the role of the church in the fight against social injustice? Others, it seems, want to limit the church’s role to gospel proclamation and allow individual Christians (in their callings) to work for justice, the poor, etc. I hope I’m not misrepresenting either view.
KELLER: At this point—I’d defer to my friend Don Carson’s new book coming out on Christ and culture
CHEDIAK: Chapter 2 is on the “How could a good God allow suffering?” question. You repeated a phrase that I first heard you use in an eight-minute sermon you gave on September 11, 2006 in NYC to a crowd including President Bush, Mayor Rudy Giuliani and other dignitaries. That phrase is, “Everything sad is going to come untrue.” It is a beautiful statement. Not only that, you say in your new book that it will somehow be greater for having once been broken and lost. How do you respond to those who say, “Yes, but according to Christianity, that is only true for Christians. Those in hell will not find it to be so.”?
KELLER: Of course it’s only for those who are part of the new heavens and new earth through Christ. But that question, ‘what about the people in hell?’ assumes that the lost will be down there, wishing they can get out and have all the blessings of heaven, but not being allowed by a God who says, ‘No! Too late! Ha! You had your chance!’ That’s a misunderstanding of the power of sin’s self-deception. People in hell will be thinking that God’s salvation and eternity is a big crock. When you get to chapter 5 on hell I address this concern.