Sharon Jaynes July 8, 2009 General Inspiration, Trusting God 5 Comments. ( Log Out / I enjoyed it greatly and was informed by it. We will email you … Making Sense of God - a review Andrew Larkin, Bethinking The book is written for those for whom the issue of God seems fanciful and not even worth considering, so a more accurate reflection of the book is that it is “An Invitation to the Sceptical” to reconsider their views on God. According to Robert Belah, “the health of a society depends on voluntarily unselfish behavior” which involves infringing on our personal freedom. Paradoxically, we also find most happiness in our relationships, where we sacrifice our freedoms for the other. So, he argues, we should not only look at the obvious evidence and arguments for and against the existence of God, but we should consider the internal coherence of all belief systems, and whether they actually “work” in life, before we make a judgment on which is most likely to be true. But is it true? Our worth is based on the value God has placed on us, not on achievements, race or relationships – or even our efforts to be moral. Secularism struggles to explain the ethical feelings that everyone has, and to provide a source of the shared morality that all societies need to function. People have always valued freedom, but in secular societies freedom has become the ultimate good. He is arguing that christianity is a more, Scientific (and historical) hypothesis are tested by how much of the evidence they. The central premise of the book is that no one comes to their core beliefs by reason alone, or by emotion alone. In fact, secular humanism’s values can be traced back to its Jewish and Christian roots. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives. I tried to hint at this in my initial comments without being too critical. You can call us to place an order at 913-544-0240 or order online and choose "Pick Up at The Well." Our desires are constantly changing and often contradictory, and we can’t base our sense of who we are on them. Demographic studies that show that religious populations are more likely than secular ones to grow through higher birthrates and greater retention of members, and sociologists of religion now generally accept that secularisation isn’t going to happen as once expected. Hasn't science disproved God? Keller then goes on to ask which of secularism or religion provides the better foundation for human rights. It has produced the “harm principle”, where we believe we should be free to live as we please as long as we don’t harm anyone else. A second reason why, even in our secular age, religion continues to make sense to people is more existential than intellectual. Creating a True Secular Safe … If everything happens for a reason, and by that we mean it is part of God’s plan, then we have really said, “God planned for this tragedy to come to you. He does this by outlining cultural illustrations that … Secularists have looked to the end of religion, education and technological progress to produce a better future, but there is increasing pessimism that this will happen. Smith’s How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor. Making sense of God by Timothy Keller. Having read it, I will read it again. An insightful commentator and a successful writer of books for christians. He concludes with Langdon Gilkey’s powerful story of selfishness in a Second World War prison camp, where rationality proved insufficient as a basis for moral obligation when resources were scarce. Rather, he says he is trying to show that christian belief makes sense and is worthy of further consideration. At some point, for most of us, as it was for some biblical writers, God stops making sense. Keller’s comparison of secularism and Christianity  is thorough and well-researched, drawing on broad range of scholarly sources. These created meanings can serve us well, and we must not tell secular friends their lives have no meaning. Yes, there is the danger of becoming the oppressors when confronting oppression, and Christianity has often done so, but this has always contradicted the gospel. But he points out that created meanings are ultimately insignificant when the big picture is considered, and are impotent in the face of personal suffering. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. It is part of oneself, but is distinct from other aspects of one’s being, such as the body. Making Sense of God's Will . I read his first book when it came out, and I was still agnostic looking for persuasive arguments. 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