a worthwhile read

I just finished Tim Keller's book, The Reason for God, in which he outlines answers to major objections to the Christian faith, alongside a robust defense for the Christian worldview as the perspective that makes the most sense of reality. This isn't your typical "facts of history and science" approach, though there is certainly some of that. Rather, Keller takes what I think is a more thorough and ultimately more winsome approach to explaining Christianity.

The first half of the book focuses on seven major objections that are common in our culture For example, Keller devotes chapters to questions such as "How can a good God allow suffering?" and "Hasn't science disproved Christianity?" He deals with these questions on all fronts, offering not only scientific or historical evidence where appropriate, but also sound philosophical, logical and moral arguments, appealing to the deeper presuppositions that often underly our more superficial objections. His main assertion is that the objection to the "blind faith" of the Christian is ironic because we actually all put our faith in something. Many of our beliefs about the nature of reality are actually based upon blind belief in other fundamentals. So, Keller would argue that the Christian faith is actually the most reasonable and consistent explanation for the way the world works. It is not a "blind leap," even as many of its claims can not be proved beyond all doubt. Rather, as he argues in the second half of the book, God has given us an abundant number of clues that point to him and his overarching story. His explanation of the biblical perspective on ultimate reality is clear and compelling. You just may find many of your stereotypes against Christianity disarmed as you sort through his humble yet bold arguments.

I would commend this book to anyone, whether a mature Christian or an unsure skeptic. Keller's is one of the best voices of our day to speak for the Christian faith, as he embodies the paradox of a truly humble, gospel-changed heart that can hold forth biblical truth with love and conviction, not sacrificing an ounce of either.

into the wild

If you haven't yet seen the film and read the novel Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, I highly recommend both. They each highlight particular aspects of one young man's intense spiritual quest to find fulfillment, completion and meaning in the raw, open wilderness of Alaska. If you haven't seen either, and you're not familiar with the story of Chris McCandless, I won't spoil the outcome for you. But both versions of the (true) story probe deep into a curious, restless and passionate soul, in in so doing provide an insightful look at the human condition.

The film (directed by Sean Penn) does a marvelous job of bringing forward the key elements of McCandless' story, emphasizing the unexpected transformation he undergoes in the wild and bringing it home with full emotional impact. The book, while holding its share of poignant moments, fills out the details of McCandless' psyche a bit more, exploring the story from a journalistic perspective that can be a bit dry and overly informative but is nonetheless quite illuminating.

To top all that off, the film's soundtrack, written and performed by Eddie Vedder, of Pearl Jam fame, is phenomenal. Vedder was the right man to convey the raw grit and subtle beauty of this story. Journalistically, in film, and musically, this is an all-around well-told story of tragedy and unanticipated redemption.