Dear Epiphany,
As summer sets upon us, I hope you have an opportunity to do some reading. Maybe you’ll even join me in reading Timothy Keller’s new book Hope in Times of Fear. I’m a fan of Mr. Keller, having been influenced by his wonderful book The Reason for God. Keller wrote that book 20+ years ago when he was battling thyroid cancer. Now he finds himself in another battle with cancer, this time pancreatic cancer. This significant illness, coupled with a global pandemic and the lancing of deep national racism by the murder of George Floyd, inspired this latest book.
As surprising as this may sound, this is an incredibly optimistic book. Its optimism is based on the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
For those of you who are linear thinkers, and like a good argument, this is just the book for you. Keller happily takes on Steven Pinker and Yuval Noah Harari, and their arguments that religion is no longer necessary in a world networked and founded on science. Keller goes deeper and does so from a place of thoughtful theology. He claims the resurrection of Jesus was not a magic trick or even a miracle, but an invasion from the future into the present by the Holy Spirit. The cross and the resurrection opened the “wormhole,” if you will, for the future to guide the present into what the future hopes to be. How we walk into the future is revealed through what Keller called the “Great Reveals.”
I hope you join me in reading this book. On September 12, during the Adult Forum at 10:00 am, I will use this book as the foundation for my presentation. I hope you attend and bring your thoughts and questions about Hope in Times of Fear.
I look forward to seeing you in church this summer.
Peace upon your souls.
Doyt+