Tim Keller

Life

Timothy James Keller was born in the United States on September 23, 1950. After completing his theological studies, he pastored a Presbyterian church in Virginia and is reported to have later taught at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. In 1989 he planted Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York. The church belongs to the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a conservative Presbyterian denomination.

In 2017 he stepped down as senior pastor but remained on the church's ministry staff. In 2020 he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and after battling the disease he died at home on May 19, 2023, at the age of 72. He was survived by Kathy, his wife of 48 years, and their three sons.

Ministry and Accomplishments

• Urban ministry: He built his church in a secularized metropolis marked by a mix of religions and values, ministering primarily to young professionals and people skeptical of faith. For this reason, his work is often cited as a leading example of urban church ministry.
• Church-planting support: Through Redeemer, he is reported to have led a ministry that assisted church planting in cities around the world.
• Evangelical coalition work: He is known as one of the co-founders of The Gospel Coalition, an alliance of American evangelical pastors and scholars.
• Writing: His major works include The Reason for God, a work of apologetics (that is, a book that explains and defends the faith on rational grounds) answering skeptical questions about Christianity; The Prodigal God, a fresh interpretation of the Parable of the Prodigal Son; and Center Church, a synthesis of his pastoral theology.
• Theological emphases: Grounded in Reformed theology, he presented the gospel with grace at its center. He stressed that the gospel is a path distinct from both moralistic legalism and self-indulgent license.

Influence on the Korean Church

Many of Keller's books have been translated into Korean, reportedly published mainly by Duranno. His books have been read by pastors and laypeople across denominational lines, including Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists, and are reported to have been used as materials for small-group Bible study and pastors' gatherings. Center Church in particular is frequently cited in Korean discussions of urban church planting and the church's engagement with culture.

Assessment

Keller is regarded as one of the most influential evangelical pastors and apologists of his generation and has sometimes been compared to C. S. Lewis. At the same time, he drew criticism from both progressives and conservatives.

• Criticism from progressives: In 2017 Princeton Theological Seminary decided to award him a prize named after Abraham Kuyper. This provoked opposition on the grounds that his denomination does not permit the ordination of women and holds a traditional position on homosexuality. The seminary withdrew the award, but Keller's lecture went ahead as scheduled.
• Criticism from conservatives: He was criticized for his emphasis on social justice and cultural engagement and for his openness to understandings of creation that accept evolution (see Creation and Evolution). Some also argued that, amid intensifying political polarization, his moderate approach to culture was ineffective.
• Keller's position: Keller maintained that the Christian faith cannot belong wholly to either the political left or the political right.