Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller
Week 6: Chapter 5 — Christianity Is a Straitjacket
Read Chapter 5 of Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller.
Previewing Week 6 of Making Sense of God
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 14-week guide when you’re ready.
The charge that Christianity constrains human freedom is among the most intuitive objections for people formed by modern culture — Keller explores what freedom actually means and whether Christianity truly opposes it.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Keller identifies two competing conceptions of freedom: 'freedom from' (absence of external constraint) and 'freedom for' (the capacity to fulfill your nature and purpose). How does this distinction reframe the question of whether Christianity restricts freedom?
2.He uses the analogy of a fish out of water — a fish is not 'more free' when removed from water; it is less able to thrive. How does this illustration work for the Christian understanding of human freedom and moral design? Where does it succeed as an analogy, and where might it break down?
3.Keller argues that every community and every culture enforces behavioral norms — that there is no 'norm-free' life. What are some of the norms enforced by secular, progressive culture? Are they experienced as constraints by those who don't share them?