The Prodigal God

Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

By: Timothy Keller

Narrated by: Timothy Keller

Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Newsweek called New York Times best-selling author Timothy Keller a "C. S. Lewis for the twenty-first century" in a feature on his first book, The Reason for God. In that book, he offered a rational explanation of why we should believe in God. Now, in The Prodigal God, he uses one of the best known Christian parables to reveal an unexpected message of hope and salvation.

Taking his trademark intellectual approach to understanding Christianity, Keller uncovers the essential message of Jesus, locked inside his most familiar parable. Within that parable Jesus reveals God's prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and the moralistic. This book will challenge both the devout and skeptics to see Christianity in a whole new way.

©2008 Timothy Keller (P)2008 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"An amazing, thought-provoking, illuminating work." (Examiner.com)

"The insights Tim Keller has about the two individuals in the story, and about the heart of God who loves them both, wrecked me afresh. Tim's thoughts deserve a hearing worldwide." (Bill Hybels, founding and senior pastor, Willow Creek Community Church)

incredible insights

this book deepened my understanding of the parable and other texts. I really appreciate the work that Tim has done.

wow

So grand is the conclusion to such a simple start. Also the word entropy was used properly. fantastic listen.

Absolute Must For Everyone!

Would you listen to The Prodigal God again? Why?

I have listened to this book three times already and will listen to it again. The Prodigal God puts everyone on the same level when it comes to God and salvation. Being very good or being very bad has no bearing on a God who is prodigal.

Impactful is an understatement

If your experience is anything like mine--growing up in and around evangelicalism--you will find that Tim Keller's insight and grace shed new light onto the beauty of gospel. A beauty that's always been but at times hidden by religion and subtle imposters of the gospel. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Excellent Review of the Parable

Just and excellent sermon from a gifted teacher. Two types of rebellion illustrated beautifully. Worth a listen.

Masterful Explanation Of the Gospel of Christ

In this book Tim Keller uses the biblical parable of the prodigal son to explain the gospel of Christ. He explains how the parable shows God's love both to the wayward, worldly prodigal, and to the moral but proud older brother. I highly recommend this to anyone wishing to understand in depth what the gospel is all about.

But especially I recommend it to older brothers, those who are always doing things right, tending to look with disdain on those who don't. Jesus is not judging those people any more than the prodigal, but he is showing how they have a different kind of sin than just the committing of wrongs or foolishness.

Keller as usual does a masterful job in explaining how this parable actually shows the plan of salvation. He even explains how it shows God's plan for redeeming the physical world. This is my fourth or fifth time listening to it and I'm still understanding new things about what he's saying. If there's any negative to his writing it's that you have to pay attention, to follow his thinking from one chapter to the next, because there's so much in everything he's saying.

Keller is narrator, and he has a calm speaking voice, not emotional, but also not dry and boring.

I’ve listened to this 20+ times

Each time I listen I learn something new. Amazing book - so much in a small package. Today, on the day on Pastor Keller’s death, I took great comfort from another listen.

The dangers of righteousness

"The Prodigal God" is a very short book that examines the Christian parable of the Prodigal Son. It makes some insightful points about how the true target of the parable may have been those people represented by the elder son, and it is especially thought-provoking as it discusses how the elder son, who tried very hard to live a correct and righteous life, is the son who ended up alienated from the Father at the end of the parable.

Tim has a gift & it is feeding the body of Christ

Such a great teaching that every believer should listen to. It is simple but profound!

Different perspective

Heard this story many many times. Never thought of it as Rev Keller did. Makes sense. Enjoy.