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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: 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.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published February 7, 2023
About the author
Collin Hansen
24 books78 followersCollin Hansen is editorial director for The Gospel Coalition and was previously an associate editor for Christianity Today. He has written for Books & Culture, Leadership, and Christian History & Biography, and is the author of Young, Restless, and Reformed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 470 reviews
February 28, 2023
Few people have influenced me more than Tim Keller—this book is the story of who influenced him. I read it with keen interest and closed it with a grateful heart. On page after page, my friend Collin Hansen deploys journalistic talent to synthesize a diversity of voices—the family members, friends, professors, pastors, and authors who “made” Tim Keller. This terrific work will serve church leaders and thoughtful Christians for generations to come.
My favorite quotes: https://www.tgc.org/article/20-quotes...
My favorite quotes: https://www.tgc.org/article/20-quotes...
April 8, 2023
The best aspect of this book was the bibliography it helps one build as a reader--all the influences, authors, teachers, and works that have shaped Tim Keller. It made me respect Keller even more than I already do. And it made me profoundly aware that some people are uniquely gifted and called by God and their ministries, while exceptional, are duplicatable. Read this to learn much and be guided, but not as a roadmap or game plan for ministry.
April 24, 2024
I struggled with the writing style of this but perhaps I am spoiled by reading a ton of biographies lately.
The best part of the book was the bibliography of Tim’s life scattered throughout.
The best part of the book was the bibliography of Tim’s life scattered throughout.
February 13, 2023
As you can see, I couldn’t put this book down. More than a biography, this book told me the things that most deeply shaped whom I see as the cultural/theological father of our generation (and probably the one before ours). The schools, the books, the people, etc. served as rivers that flowed into the ocean that became this man so full of wisdom, Hope, courage, and character. This book felt like I was sitting across a coffee shop table with a latte in hand asking this guy his story (which I love doing). I pray I get to meet Timothy Keller One day, but should The Lord take him home before I do, this book gave me more of him to learn from and glean from in a lifetime.
June 3, 2023
Very well done. Unavoidably a tiny bit hagiographic. The time for greater distance will come. This is the right book for the moment. So glad he wrote it.
July 5, 2023
I've been loving this genre of book as of late. St. Therese of Lisieux's Story of a Soul, as well as Beth Moore's memoir preceded this one for me this year.
We often don't think about the lives people have lived up to this point in time. The people they've been in relationship with, the people they've been formally educated by, the places they've lived, the work they've devoted themselves to, the scholars/authors/thinkers they've been learning from, the suffering they've endured, the intricacies of their personal lives, the novels they've cherished, the spiritual disciplines they've practiced in secret, the correspondence they've kept.
I loved the portion in the last quarter of the book where Keller said to someone that if you cut a person open, you should see many rings - like a tree. See only one or two rings and that person is more of a clone than an individual. Reading & learning widely & deeply makes for a person who has been shaped, challenged, and refined in ways that someone drinking from one stream of thought simply cannot be.
This has given me a new appreciation for Keller's spiritual and intellectual formation. They were not mutually exclusive. His zeal for personal piety & culture-specific evangelism was not at odds with intellectual rigor & excellence. We ought to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength - and our neighbors as ourselves. This books showed someone imperfectly but faithfully pursing that greatest commandment by the power of the Spirit.
This biography will stick with me for a while, as I hopefully read more of his books with a renewed appreciation and understanding of the person behind them.
We often don't think about the lives people have lived up to this point in time. The people they've been in relationship with, the people they've been formally educated by, the places they've lived, the work they've devoted themselves to, the scholars/authors/thinkers they've been learning from, the suffering they've endured, the intricacies of their personal lives, the novels they've cherished, the spiritual disciplines they've practiced in secret, the correspondence they've kept.
I loved the portion in the last quarter of the book where Keller said to someone that if you cut a person open, you should see many rings - like a tree. See only one or two rings and that person is more of a clone than an individual. Reading & learning widely & deeply makes for a person who has been shaped, challenged, and refined in ways that someone drinking from one stream of thought simply cannot be.
This has given me a new appreciation for Keller's spiritual and intellectual formation. They were not mutually exclusive. His zeal for personal piety & culture-specific evangelism was not at odds with intellectual rigor & excellence. We ought to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength - and our neighbors as ourselves. This books showed someone imperfectly but faithfully pursing that greatest commandment by the power of the Spirit.
This biography will stick with me for a while, as I hopefully read more of his books with a renewed appreciation and understanding of the person behind them.
May 19, 2023
I loved this book. I have not read all of Keller's books (I am sure I will one day), but I am deeply indebted to him personally and theologically. As a young Christian who grew up in a pretty shallow theological environment, he was really the first one to introduce me to an intellectual Christianity. I mean that in the best sense of the word. A Christianity that is not simply shallow and emotional, but one that engages the mind as well as the heart. A Christianity that doesn't shy away from science, doubts, and skepticism, but shows that the God of the Bible has something real and significant to say to the hardest and biggest questions of life. And more personally than that, he helped me understand the gospel more fully. And for that, I am eternally grateful. What I loved about this book is that I came away with the real sense that Tim Keller had no desire to become a celebrity pastor that was well known in the Christian world. I believe he came to believe in and love the real Jesus in college, and that from the beginning he had a burning passion to see others come to know him too. He was faithfully sharing the gospel and ministering to seekers and skeptics decades before he ever became famous or wrote books. That's why I love this opening line of the book..."When he walks out the door, the first ten thousand people he sees will have no idea who he is." And I think Keller is completely fine with that. May God give us many more years with him, but if not, I am thankful for the time we have had.
June 2, 2023
Tim K is probably the most influential person in my life that I’ve never met. His books and sermons have repeatedly drawn me back to and grown me in the Gospel-centered life.
Hansen does a nice job of giving the reader a breakdown of Keller’s life and the influences that formed him. I have a long list of “want to read’s” after hearing about all of Keller’s favorite authors and ideas.
RIP Tim.
“To be loved but not known is comforting yet superficial. To be known but not loved is our greatest fear. To be both fully known and fully loved is a lot like God’s love for us - it is what our hearts desire most. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of self-righteousness, and fortifies us for whatever life may throw our way.”
- Tim Keller (my fav quote of his)
Hansen does a nice job of giving the reader a breakdown of Keller’s life and the influences that formed him. I have a long list of “want to read’s” after hearing about all of Keller’s favorite authors and ideas.
RIP Tim.
“To be loved but not known is comforting yet superficial. To be known but not loved is our greatest fear. To be both fully known and fully loved is a lot like God’s love for us - it is what our hearts desire most. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of self-righteousness, and fortifies us for whatever life may throw our way.”
- Tim Keller (my fav quote of his)
June 15, 2024
I loved the unique take on a biography here- to look at Keller’s life through the lens of his influences. It’s incredible to see how a person of such influence has been influenced by others.
My To Read List grew with each chapter read, as well as my appreciation for Keller’s unique contributions to the kingdom. It inspired me to continue to read widely, question long-held assumptions, seek unity in the church and pray for revival.
(Only 4 stars because I found the writing to be a bit dry/overcomplicated at times.)
My To Read List grew with each chapter read, as well as my appreciation for Keller’s unique contributions to the kingdom. It inspired me to continue to read widely, question long-held assumptions, seek unity in the church and pray for revival.
(Only 4 stars because I found the writing to be a bit dry/overcomplicated at times.)
November 5, 2023
I don’t agree with Keller on everything, but reading this book reminded me how much he has influenced me and many others for good. I’m not sure I ever heard one of his sermons (outside of his conference messages), but his apologetic work and his apologetic posture (winsome, unworried, and wise) I have found compelling. And I found this book compelling too, not because of what Keller accomplished, but because of all the great thinkers, preachers, and philosophers who shaped him.
February 11, 2023
What a gift has Tim Keller been to the church. Collin Hansen masterfully tells his story through the spiritual and intellectual influences on his life.
December 1, 2023
I'll always be grateful to God for Tim Keller.
March 14, 2023
*Won in a giveaway* 😊 Now this is not a book I would normally read. It did sound a bit interesting and no doubt, Timothy Keller did lead a very interesting life. He was brought up by a controlling mother and an emotionally absent father. He was bullied. He wanted to find religion that accepted everyone. He was all for equality during the race riots. He sounded like a very wise, kind man. I saw another review that said this book read like a very long Wikipedia page. I have to agree. While his life was interesting, so much info is thrown at you at once, it was hard to absorb a lot of it. It's not terrible, but could have been written maybe a little different to keep my attention better. Happy reading. 🙂💜
August 15, 2023
"I'm not fighting cancer. I'm fighting sin."
"We're enjoying our days more now than ever before."
Collin Hansen did us all a great service by writing this book. It is stellar work, even if it inevitably sounds hagiographical at points.
"We will honor Keller more if we read the sources he read more than we read him."
"We're enjoying our days more now than ever before."
Collin Hansen did us all a great service by writing this book. It is stellar work, even if it inevitably sounds hagiographical at points.
"We will honor Keller more if we read the sources he read more than we read him."
April 16, 2024
Like many others, Keller helped me overcome some objections against Christianity. His books were used by my high school pastor/teachers. I'm so grateful for Keller and his ministry.
random thoughts from the book –
1. Keller was undoubtedly influential... because he was influenced by those who've gone before him: Augustine, Owen, Edwards, Flavel, Bavinck, Lewis, Lloyd-Jones, Stott, Clowney, Lovelace, Conn, Miller, Sproul, etc. Drawing deep from the well of good authors (and, as Keller would teach, from those whom you disagree with) and mentors can help and challenge our views for the better.
2. Most know Keller through his ministry in NY. But it was interesting to see how his time at Hopewell, VA was formative. What prepared him to be an effective pastor in one of the busiest, biggest cities of the world was his time caring for his then-90-member flock. Hopewell, Keller remembers, was where he learned how to preach.
3. Hansen did an amazing job. One improvement, I think, is not to mention the same fact over and over again. For example, he mentions that Clowney was the president of WTS many times throughout the book, or Kathy had health problems or Jack Miller was Tim's pastor. This book could've been better if Hansen trusted the readers that they would remember what he wrote 20-30 pages earlier.
Overall, a great book.
random thoughts from the book –
1. Keller was undoubtedly influential... because he was influenced by those who've gone before him: Augustine, Owen, Edwards, Flavel, Bavinck, Lewis, Lloyd-Jones, Stott, Clowney, Lovelace, Conn, Miller, Sproul, etc. Drawing deep from the well of good authors (and, as Keller would teach, from those whom you disagree with) and mentors can help and challenge our views for the better.
2. Most know Keller through his ministry in NY. But it was interesting to see how his time at Hopewell, VA was formative. What prepared him to be an effective pastor in one of the busiest, biggest cities of the world was his time caring for his then-90-member flock. Hopewell, Keller remembers, was where he learned how to preach.
3. Hansen did an amazing job. One improvement, I think, is not to mention the same fact over and over again. For example, he mentions that Clowney was the president of WTS many times throughout the book, or Kathy had health problems or Jack Miller was Tim's pastor. This book could've been better if Hansen trusted the readers that they would remember what he wrote 20-30 pages earlier.
Overall, a great book.
February 11, 2023
This excellent book made me admire Keller more (which I didn't think was possible) without in any way exaggerating his strengths or minimizing his weaknesses. It also made me love Jesus more (which I've always known was possible). Through the story of Keller's formation, I feel more motivated than I have in years to pour myself out in service to the Church and the world.
January 5, 2024
I couldn't help but devour this book in this vacation. Felt so fresh to "go through" Keller in an orderly manner, finding the "inner rings" (Keller's phrase) inside the likes of beloved Taylor and Bellah and Rieff and MacIntyre: Clowney, Conn, Elliot, Lewis, Bavinck, Newbigin and all the others. Reading this book was nothing less than a breath of fresh air for my to-read list.
But understanding Keller only as a source of good book recommendations on culture and faith is to make his memory a great disservice. What I learned about Tim and Kathy is how intelligent faith and penetrating cultural analysis go hand in hand with prayer and community.
I loved the book. I would like it quoted a bit less and analyzed a bit more, but I think I didn't read enough biographies to understand that inner mechanics of the genre. Will surely recommend it.
But understanding Keller only as a source of good book recommendations on culture and faith is to make his memory a great disservice. What I learned about Tim and Kathy is how intelligent faith and penetrating cultural analysis go hand in hand with prayer and community.
I loved the book. I would like it quoted a bit less and analyzed a bit more, but I think I didn't read enough biographies to understand that inner mechanics of the genre. Will surely recommend it.
August 8, 2023
Nourished.
That’s how I feel after reading this book.
Regardless of religious orientation, here are three things I believe we can all learn from Tim Keller’s approach to leadership.
1. Keller didn’t become famous by trying to become famous. His influence emerged out of many years of faithful service, and he didn’t start publishing until his 50’s, after his wisdom had time to mature and crystallize.
2. Keller drank deeply from many different streams of knowledge, masterfully synthesizing and contextualizing the information for his audiences.
3. Keller’s leadership was defined by what he was for, never by who he was against. I believe this is why he gained a hearing from such a wide spectrum of people.
That’s how I feel after reading this book.
Regardless of religious orientation, here are three things I believe we can all learn from Tim Keller’s approach to leadership.
1. Keller didn’t become famous by trying to become famous. His influence emerged out of many years of faithful service, and he didn’t start publishing until his 50’s, after his wisdom had time to mature and crystallize.
2. Keller drank deeply from many different streams of knowledge, masterfully synthesizing and contextualizing the information for his audiences.
3. Keller’s leadership was defined by what he was for, never by who he was against. I believe this is why he gained a hearing from such a wide spectrum of people.
June 6, 2023
Book of the year…..so far!
Made me weep, pray, question, praise, worship and repent.
More than a biography but a work of theology, history, social science and an evangelism guide.
What a life, what a ministry!
As a Pastor in Wales trained by those who sat under Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones and someone who has written a thesis on Bonhoeffer’s theology of Community it was wonderful to learn how my two heroes influenced Keller.
His passing was a sad loss to the Kingdom, but Keller died well, radiating hope for the glory to come! See you there old friend!
Made me weep, pray, question, praise, worship and repent.
More than a biography but a work of theology, history, social science and an evangelism guide.
What a life, what a ministry!
As a Pastor in Wales trained by those who sat under Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones and someone who has written a thesis on Bonhoeffer’s theology of Community it was wonderful to learn how my two heroes influenced Keller.
His passing was a sad loss to the Kingdom, but Keller died well, radiating hope for the glory to come! See you there old friend!
December 22, 2023
I love this as a concept. The writings of the people that formed belief!
I loved the quote from the book, “If you cut a good minister like a tree, there should be a lot of rings. if you’re only learning from one or two individuals or kinds of sources, you risk becoming a clone.”
It was inspiring to not worry about only reading close to what you know you believe but to take in various forms of thought.
I loved the quote from the book, “If you cut a good minister like a tree, there should be a lot of rings. if you’re only learning from one or two individuals or kinds of sources, you risk becoming a clone.”
It was inspiring to not worry about only reading close to what you know you believe but to take in various forms of thought.
February 22, 2023
The chapters on Sproul (6), Betty Elliott (8), Lovelace (10), Clowney (12), and the sections on Jack Miller (in 13) Keller’s brother (in 16), and Black spirituals and Kierkegaard (in 17) were all deeply moving to me. Reading about Keller’s influences prompted me to reflect with gratitude about my own. I pray this book prompts the same thanksgiving in every reader. Well done, Collin Hansen!
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July 9, 2023This was highly anticipated for me, especially after Keller's death. It's more about Keller's influences than his actual ministry. I actually appreciated this model for a biography because it kept me from feeling that I was reading a hagiography. Despite it being more about his heroes, this book still gave a glimpse into Keller's life that was refreshing and clarifying. Also, Kathy Keller is the GOAT
June 6, 2023
Very good.
May 19, 2023
I finished this book today…the day that Tim Keller died. What an amazing story, read by the author. I got to sit in on a homiletics class that Keller taught at Westminster in the 80s. I am thankful for Tim Keller and his ministry, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him through this book.
December 10, 2023
Magnífico
Este libro es más que una biografía. Es la historia del pensamiento de Timothy Keller. Es el trayecto intelectual y espiritual que lo llevó a convertirse en el hombre de Dios que fue.
Nos da los anillos del árbol para que nosotros podamos seguirlos.
Es magnífico.
Este libro es más que una biografía. Es la historia del pensamiento de Timothy Keller. Es el trayecto intelectual y espiritual que lo llevó a convertirse en el hombre de Dios que fue.
Nos da los anillos del árbol para que nosotros podamos seguirlos.
Es magnífico.
February 26, 2023
I will reserve more harsh words because it appears that other people liked this. But pretty much was one long Wikipedia page about Tim Keller, nothing chat gpt couldn’t have written
June 20, 2024
A feast for the soul. Well-written, well-researched, and truly inspiring.
2nd time: June 2024. Still amazing.
2nd time: June 2024. Still amazing.
May 3, 2024
I loved this book. It is not a typical biography, but Colin Hanson makes that clear from the outset. It was slow going for me in the middle but I’m so glad I persevered because I loved seeing how Timothy Keller, a man who has influenced my husband and me greatly, was himself influenced. I came away from the book not so much with a desire to read more of Keller’s works, but to read widely and intentionally …. Both fiction and nonfiction, Christian and secular, and continue to become formed by truth, wisdom, and beauty.
June 16, 2023
Collin Hansen says it himself: there is really no other book like this, that traces not just a person’s biography but the books they read. I loved it.
I realized a few years ago the joy of tracing a beloved book’s footnotes. I chased down copies of older books that had inspired my favorite authors and thinkers, often requesting them from outer library loans that would arrive from libraries around the country. It helped me appreciate that even the most perceptive thinkers were not solitary geniuses, but rather those who read widely and synthesized what they had read with what they observed.
This book answers the question many of us have asked: how did Tim Keller develop such a distinctive preaching voice? If you’ve wondered the same thing, then this book will feel like a gift. It’s an engaging read that offers you a behind the scenes look at the making of a pastor so many of us respected for showing how the Christian gospel addressed our greatest needs. We meet the teachers who formed Keller’s thinking, either though classroom teaching or through their books or though mentorship. We, too, can read these books along with Keller’s books to help us consider how to continue to bring the gospel to skeptics and to the streets of our cities.
Keller died recently and we should all be grateful for this insight. May it raise up a new generation of preachers who continue Keller’s work.
I realized a few years ago the joy of tracing a beloved book’s footnotes. I chased down copies of older books that had inspired my favorite authors and thinkers, often requesting them from outer library loans that would arrive from libraries around the country. It helped me appreciate that even the most perceptive thinkers were not solitary geniuses, but rather those who read widely and synthesized what they had read with what they observed.
This book answers the question many of us have asked: how did Tim Keller develop such a distinctive preaching voice? If you’ve wondered the same thing, then this book will feel like a gift. It’s an engaging read that offers you a behind the scenes look at the making of a pastor so many of us respected for showing how the Christian gospel addressed our greatest needs. We meet the teachers who formed Keller’s thinking, either though classroom teaching or through their books or though mentorship. We, too, can read these books along with Keller’s books to help us consider how to continue to bring the gospel to skeptics and to the streets of our cities.
Keller died recently and we should all be grateful for this insight. May it raise up a new generation of preachers who continue Keller’s work.
November 6, 2023
I loved learning more about Tim Keller’s life and his story including those who were important to him both personally and to his ministry (The rings of his tree). I think when you read and learn from someone, especially in studying theology, it is helpful to understand who and what influenced them.
I also came away with some addition books to read by other authors, and even one movie to watch which is always meaningful to me.
Having said that, I found the book difficult to read due to the authors writing style and how much it jumped around. For me at least, it wasn’t a well written biography. There were times where this would be 2-3 stars, but in the end I was grateful for the research and what I learned from the book itself.
I have enjoyed so many of Keller’s books over the years and was truly saddened when he passed. I appreciated the author highlighting most of Keller’s books and reminded me of ones I had not read, but look forward to.
I also came away with some addition books to read by other authors, and even one movie to watch which is always meaningful to me.
Having said that, I found the book difficult to read due to the authors writing style and how much it jumped around. For me at least, it wasn’t a well written biography. There were times where this would be 2-3 stars, but in the end I was grateful for the research and what I learned from the book itself.
I have enjoyed so many of Keller’s books over the years and was truly saddened when he passed. I appreciated the author highlighting most of Keller’s books and reminded me of ones I had not read, but look forward to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 470 reviews