Counterfeit Gods

I just finished reading Tim Keller's newest book, Counterfeit Gods, last night. I would highly recommend it to anyone - Christian or not. I have referenced Keller and included video clips of him teaching various times in my blog, so at the risk of beating a dead horse, I will repeat my recommendation that you all should read any or all of his books and listen to anything you can by the guy. I came across this site today and it seems to be a gold mine of resources from Keller. I also found this very official looking photo of Keller on Google images.

In Counterfeit Gods, Keller sets out to expose the empty promises of sex, money, and power - a message that is particularly timely in light of America's current economic recession. He starts the book by addressing the despair that has overcome many Americans today and convincingly argues that this despair is the result of idolatry. Quoting De Tocqueville, Keller defines idolatry as "taking some 'incomplete joy of this world' and building your entire life on it" (p. xi). In expanding on this idea, Keller later observes, "We take more and greater risks to get an ever diminishing satisfaction from the thing we crave, until a breakdown occurs" (p. xiv).

In the main body of the book, Keller demonstrates himself to be be well read and culturally discerning - a quality that doesn't surprise me due to the fact that he's the pastor of a large and growing church in the heart of New York City. He relays the Biblical stories of Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Rachel, Naaman, Zacchaeus, Nebuchadnezzar, and Jonah in fresh ways - exposing in each story the idolatry that God brings to light. Keller comes out firing with both barrels, congently and graciously pointing out the frivolousness of making money, sex, power, or anything else ultimate in one's life. In each case, he presents Jesus as the the true solution and only Savior.

In conclusion, the best part of this book is that Keller does not have an agenda to write a book for "church people" pointing out how all the "non-church people" are all terrible people. His agenda is actually to point out how equally bad "church people" and "non-church people" are and, in turn, to present Jesus as the only hope to both groups. Keller writes, "The living God, who revealed himself both at Mount Sinai and on the Cross, is the only Lord who, if you find him, can truly fulfill you, and, if you fail him, can truly forgive you" (p. xxiv).

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For those interested, the book is for sale on Amazon.