Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller
Week 2: Chapter 1 — Isn't Religion Just a Crutch?
Read Chapter 1 of Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller.
Previewing Week 2 of Making Sense of God
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 14-week guide when you’re ready.
One of the most common dismissals of religion is that it is merely wish-fulfillment — a psychological crutch for people who can't face reality — but Keller turns this argument on its head.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Keller engages the Freudian charge that religious belief is wish-fulfillment — that we believe because we want it to be true, not because it is true. How does he respond to this argument? Do you find his response persuasive?
2.Keller points out that the wish-fulfillment argument cuts both ways: atheism can equally be accused of being wish-fulfillment, since many people deeply want there to be no God (no moral accountability, no judgment, no demands). How does this move change the shape of the conversation?
3.Keller distinguishes between a 'defeater belief' — a belief that, if true, would make Christianity impossible — and a mere challenge or tension. Why is this distinction important for how we evaluate objections to faith?