Week 1: Introduction — The Leap of Doubt

1.Keller describes the congregation at Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan as filled with both fervent believers and committed skeptics who sat side by side. What does that picture suggest about the kind of conversation he is trying to create in this book — and what kind of conversation are you hoping to have in this study?

2.Keller argues that a "leap of doubt" is just as much a faith commitment as a "leap of faith" — that to doubt Christianity requires trusting a set of assumptions that are themselves unproven. Do you find that argument initially compelling or annoying? Why?

3.He notes that the New Atheist books (Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, Dennett) were dominating bestseller lists when he wrote this book. Do you think the cultural moment has shifted since 2008, or do the same objections still carry the same emotional weight in your circles?