Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller
Week 3: Chapter 2 — Isn't Religion Based on Faith, Not Evidence?
Read Chapter 2 of Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller.
Previewing Week 3 of Making Sense of God
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The claim that science deals in evidence while religion deals only in blind faith is one of the most widely held assumptions of our age — Keller examines whether that claim itself can survive scrutiny.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Keller argues that the sharp dichotomy between 'faith' and 'reason/evidence' is itself a misunderstanding. What does he say faith actually means, both in common usage and in Christian theology? How is the Christian concept of faith different from 'believing without evidence'?
2.Keller points out that scientific reasoning itself depends on foundational beliefs — such as the reliability of sense perception, the uniformity of nature, and the value of truth — that cannot be scientifically proven. What is the significance of this observation for the faith-versus-reason debate?
3.What role does Keller assign to personal experience and testimony in forming rational beliefs? How does this challenge the idea that only laboratory-repeatable evidence counts as real evidence?