TIMOTHY KELLER

His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation

COLLIN HANSEN

ZONDERVAN REFLECTIVE

Timothy Keller

Copyright © 2023 by Collin Hansen

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ISBN 978-0-310-12868-7 (hardcover)

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Cover photo: © Arianne Ramaker

To my grandfather, William,

who proclaimed the gospel before me,

and to my son, William,

who will proclaim the gospel after me, I pray.

CONTENTS

Preface

Part 1: Honest to God (1950 to 1972)

1. Mom Competition

Allentown, Pennsylvania

2. The Absurd Man

Bucknell University

3. The Woman Who Taught Him to Study the Bible

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

4. Kathy the Valiant

Kathy Kristy

5. True Myth

The Inklings

6. Doubters Welcome

R. C. Sproul and Ligonier Valley Study Center

Part 2: Professors and Peers (1972 to 1975)

7. Theological Smorgasbord

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

8. Table Talk

Elisabeth Elliot and the Robins

9. Disagree without Being Disagreeable

Roger Nicole and Neo-Calvinism

10. Pneumodynamics

Richard Lovelace and Jonathan Edwards

Part 3: Trial by Fire (1975 to 1989)

11. Chemical Capital of the South

Hopewell, Virginia

12. Unfolding Drama

Edmund P. Clowney

13. “Moulded by the Gospel”

Westminster Theological Seminary

Part 4: From Gotham to Globe (1989 to Present)

14. Masters of the Universe

New York City

15. Land of Yes

Redeemer Presbyterian Church

16. Everybody Worships

September 11 and The Reason for God

17. Making Sense of God

Dogwood Fellowship

18. Rings on a Tree

Conclusion

Epilogue

Postscript

Acknowledgments

Index

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TK:HSIF

About Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation

Timothy Keller takes readers behind the scenes to meet the people and understand the events that formed Keller’s spiritual life and ministry priorities.

Millions have read books and listened to sermons by Timothy Keller. But which people and what events shaped his own thinking and spiritual growth? With unfettered access to Keller’s personal notes and sermons—as well as exclusive interviews with family members and longtime friends—Collin Hansen gives you unprecedented understanding of one of the 21st century’s most influential church leaders.

Spend any time around Timothy Keller and you’ll learn what he’s reading, what he’s learning, what he’s seeing. The story of Timothy Keller is the story of his spiritual and intellectual influences, from the woman who taught him how to read the Bible to the professor who taught him to preach Jesus from every text to the philosopher who taught him to see beneath society’s surface.

For the first time, Hansen introduces readers to Keller’s early years: the home where he learned to tell stories from the trees, the church where he learned to care for souls, and the city that lifted him to the international fame he never wanted.

You’ll discover how to:

Understand the principles and practices that allowed Keller to synthesize so many different influences in a coherent ministry.

Take the best of Keller’s preaching and teaching to meet emerging challenges in the 21st century.

Develop your own historical, theological, and cultural perspectives to shape your leadership.

This is the untold story of the people, the books, the lectures, and ultimately the God who formed and shaped the life of Timothy Keller.

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Table of Contents