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)

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 author points out the broader issues from the Bible that I had never considered.

It’s a quick read and gives you new, positive insights about the Bible. I had lived without it for many decades. I’m now being given a second chance.

A thought-provoking little book which accentuates the Gospel.

In this little book, Timothy Keller nicely analyzes two diametrically opposed ways in which one might be distant from God. Keller identifies them as the younger and the older brother. The one who ran away, and the one who stayed to work. Yet of these two, the latter is far less identifiable within oneself, and consequently far more dangerous. Keller does a good job wrapping clear and pointed language around this usually clandestine pitfall. And finally, and his conclusion, he explores the inner longing which creates these two responses and how Jesus provides a third alternative which satisfies the longing of both kinds of brothers.

Life changing

If you're confused about the gospel and Christianity, having never been acquainted, read this. If you've been in the church and know you get it, you need a life-changing refresher. If you are agnostic/atheist but are willing to try to understand what we mean by the beauty of Christ, give it a shot.

Awesome!!!

Tim Keller is a wonderful teacher/pastor and God has gifted him with a deep understanding of His word. No pat answers are accepted:) Wonderful book!!

Which brother are you?

What you have been missing and or misunderstanding. You will grow from this and thrive.

Great

The book was fantastic highly recommended to everyone .Should be read many times In order to understand Fully .

Refreshing New Eyes on the Prodigal Sons

Timothy Keller provides a valuable and refreshing look at the greater lessons offered by Jesus in this well-known parable.

We all know Tim Keller is a genius...

Loved this book. So spiritually challenging, freeing, and inspirational. A must read for EVERY Christian.