Keller - The meaning of marriage-- in 30 minutes: the expert guide to Timothy Kellers

INTRODUCTION

At a Glance

This book is an extended review of The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Timothy Keller, with Kathy Keller. Using the Bible to form a theological understanding of marriage, Keller addresses todays cultural understanding (or, as he sees it, misunderstanding) of marriage, and then clarifies it in light of Gods plan. Keller contrasts romantic love with covenantal love and sex, showing that love and sex viewed through a biblical lens have a sacred beauty. He describes the higher meaning and purpose of marriage, and speaks of ways to transcend selfishness and embrace a husbands and wifes roles within marriage. He speaks to single people about how best to embrace their singleness while staying open to Gods plan. The Meaning of Marriage is a book rich in biblical and theological insight about the mystery of marriage.

This extended review begins with a brief introduction to the book. It provides some background information about authors Timothy Keller and his wife, Kathy, and details about how this book came about. Reviews and reactions to the book from reviewers, bloggers, and readers, both positive and negative, are given. There is a brief synopsis of The Meaning of Marriage, then the three key points of Kellers book are broken down and examined, followed by examples from the book and some practical suggestions for how to apply these ideas in everyday life. Finally, the main ideas contained in The Meaning of Marriage are revisited, in a way that may inspire readers to explore this book further. There is also a glossary of key terms used in the book and a list of recommended reading to deepen the readers knowledge of Christian marriage and its mysteries.

Understanding
The Meaning of Marriage

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Meaning of Marriage was written by Timothy Keller with his wife, Kathy Keller. Keller says this book arose from three sources. The first was his marriage to Kathy, with its joy and pain, triumphs and disappointmentsa tested, durable marriage of thirty-seven years. His second source was his many years of pastoral work, in which he ministered to thousands of singles and was struck by how he felt culture had warped their views on marriage. He also counseled many troubled and wounded married couples, and gave numerous sermons and lectures on Christian marriage.

Kellers third source for this book was his years of study into what the Bible teaches about marriage, sex, and gender, which began years ago as a theological student and continues to this day. He considers the Bible his most foundational source. He believes that while human institutions have made laws about marriage, it was God who created marriage and regulates it. Keller says God has a divine plan for marriage, which can best be served by living by the commandments and understanding ones marriage through a biblical perspective.

Keller has invited those skeptical about the Christian faith or the Bible to give this book a chance and see if they find anything they believe to be relevant to their own situation. He believes this book will deepen married couples relationships and correct errors that might be harming their marriage. He also hopes singles will gain a better understanding of marriage and move forward in their state of life feeling neither over-desirous nor destructively dismissive of marriage.

The Meaning of Marriage was published in November 2011 by Dutton. In an interview with Christianity Today, Keller said this book is more than a how-to manual; it is part theological, part polemical, and part practical.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Timothy Keller is an American Christian apologist, author and speaker. As founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, he grew the weekly congregation from fifty to more than five thousand, a remarkable accomplishment in secular Manhattan. Redeemer was listed fifteenth on Outreach Magazines list of 25 Most Innovative Churches in America, and has helped start more than one hundred smaller churches in the New York area.

Keller grew up in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Bucknell University in 1972, received his Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1975, and his Doctorate of Ministry from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1981. He served on the faculty of Westminster Theological Seminary and continues as an adjunct professor of practical theology.

Kathy Keller, coauthor of The Meaning of Marriage, was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. She continued to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, graduating summa cum laude with a masters degree in theological studies. While at Gordon-Conwell, Kathy met Timothy Keller. They married in 1975, during their final year of seminary. Kathy has worked alongside her husband in his various ministries. She often speaks on subjects such as the Bible and gender roles, marriage and parenting, and church planting. She is currently the assistant director of communications at Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Timothy Keller is also the author of Counterfeit Gods, The Prodigal God, and the New York Times best seller The Reason for God. Timothy and Kathy Keller have been married for thirty-seven years. They have three sons, David, Michael, and Jonathan.

CRITICAL RECEPTION

The Upside

The Meaning of Marriage has generally been well received by both reviewers and readers. The Meaning of Marriage is incredibly rich with wisdom and insight that will leave the reader, whether single or married, feeling uplifted, said Albin Sadar in a Washington Times book review. Aaron Armstrong of Blogging Theologically wrote, The Meaning of Marriage provides a thorough and faithful look at the biblical foundations of, and the gospels implications on marriage. And it truly is a breath of fresh air. So many books (even those written by Christians) offer an idealized view of marriage thats incredibly appealing, but once youre there, youre terribly disappointed.

Most readers who reviewed the book, whether married or single, well-versed in scripture or new to the Christian faith, report they found something valuable in the pages of The Meaning of Marriage. They say that amidst a wealth of books on marriage, Keller offers something new on the subject. While staying true to his orthodox theological and biblical point of view, he is able to use his personal experiences to give credibility and insight. Self-proclaimed atheist pastor J.S. Park said on his blog, I felt his gritty, real-life experience bleed through the pages. Dr. Kellers passion is alive in this work; not since Counterfeit Gods have I seen him this personally invested into his subject. This isnt only from his own thirty-six-year marriage but from having been in the trenches with hurting singles, broken marriages, and dying families. Most secular and religious-based websites gave The Meaning of Marriage at least four out five stars, based on reader reviews.

The Downside

The overwhelming majority of editorial, blogger, and reader reviews of The Meaning of Marriage have been positive. Within a generally shining review on the Missional Youth Ministry blog, the reviewer added, Keller is on a different level of thinking than most of us... and his book can be difficult to weave through if no theological background is present. I think this would be helpful more to the Christian than the non-Christian but both could still benefit.