TIM KELLER: FLESHING OUT SOME OF MY CONCERNS

TIM KELLER: FLESHING OUT SOME OF MY CONCERNS

TIM KELLER: FLESHING OUT SOME OF MY CONCERNS

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Back in 2013 I posted an article to the ministry web site called Sharing concerns about TIM KELLER It can be viewed on

https://www.takeheed.info/pdf/current-concerns-2013/Tim_Keller.pdf

Towards the end of that article I wrote the following – From my own perspective there were 2 points in particular that were noteworthy. Bearing in mind that Mr Keller is supposedly coming from a ‘Reformed’ position

(1) He supports ‘Theistic Evolution’ and

(2) He regards favourably the heretical teachings of Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits whose aim of course is to reverse The Reformation and restore the Universal Rule of ‘Mother Church’ and that cause has been greatly helped by the election of the first ever Jesuit Pope earlier this year.

Then on 20th January 2015 I posted the following on FACEBOOK –

TIM KELLER is someone that I have expressed warnings and concerns about in times past.

I have been sent a link to a radio analysis of worrying aspects of what he teaches (aspects that I myself have previously noted with concern). I have not yet had an opportunity to listen to this analysis. I’m going to post the link to this analysis and if anyone has the time to listen to it and then to post some feedback I would be most interested.

The link is

http://media.worldviewweekend.com/sites/default/files_wvw.com/audio_legacy/4183aa5ff4844ca43410cb8805efbb5e73dd0a957c2be78872be46cd3d183559.mp3

I received quite a number of responses to that post including the following –

Interesting book published by EP. Discusses Keller’s views on sin, hell, the Trinity, evolution etc.

I responded to that post as follows –

I have that book and have read a good portion of it and found it ‘reassuring’ in that the contributors were identifying areas of concern that I had also noted – only thing is I think the book is ‘excessively gracious and accepting of Mr Keller’ despite the many serious errors identified – I don’t think the Apostle Paul would have taken that line.

In this article I want to ‘flesh out’ the two areas of concern that I mentioned in my original article namely Mr Keller’s support for ‘THEISTIC EVOLUTION’ and the teachings of IGNATIUS LOYOLA.

I want also to comment and give a link that goes into quite a lot of detail concerning the book ‘Engaging with Keller’ about which I recently wrote to one person –

It was for me a book that was both encouraging and frustrating. Encouraging because the various writers reinforced my own reservations in a large number of areas concerning the views of Mr Keller but frustrating because they were willing to still be very accepting of Mr Keller as a faithful and fellow brother in Christ and unwilling to countenance any other possible view. You will see from my post that this is not an approach that I would adopt.

The ‘post’ that I referred to in that comment was a FACEBOOK post of 23 March 2015 and it actually is made up of what you will read shortly under the heading of –

“Engaging with Keller”: What it fails to deliver.

The following then are my ‘fleshing-out’ thoughts – Ramifications of belief in ‘THEISTIC EVOLUTION’

An outright denial of the clear teaching of creation in God’s Word

An outright denial of the ‘proximate cause’ for the presence of death in the world namely God’s judgment upon the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12)

A failure to appreciate the Biblical correlation between ‘condemnation’ (the sin of Adam) and ‘justification’ (the sinlessness of Christ) as outlined in 1 Corinthians 15:22.

Raises doubts over God’s instantaneous creative ability – if our present ‘mortal corruptible body’ took thousands or millions of years to arrive at by evolution then why should we believe that our ‘glorified incorruptible body’ will happen “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)?

Results in the integrity of many important figures in the Bible being undermined and called into question such as The Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 2:13; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Romans 5:12-19; Colossians 1:16); The writer to the Hebrews (Hebrews 11:3); Moses (Genesis1:1 and following through to Genesis 2:2; Exodus 20:11); The Apostle Peter (2 Peter 3:4-6); The Apostle John (John 1:1-3); The Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6).

An outright denial of what the Lord Jesus Christ said in John 17:17 concerning the scriptures namely “Thy Word is truth” – “truth” that He affirmed and expounded in His teaching to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus as we read in Luke 24:13-31.

Ramifications of respect and regard for IGNATIUS LOYOLA

Endorsing to some degree the views of a person whose aim in life was to overthrow the rediscovery of the heart of the true gospel through ‘The Reformation’. This Loyola did by founding ‘The Society of Jesus’ otherwise known as ‘THE JESUITS’.

Endorsing to some degree the views of a person whose supposed testimony and subsequent ‘spiritual exercises’ are shrouded in occult experience and deception and consequently soul-damning.

Putting a stamp of approval upon someone who did NOT know the Lord Jesus Christ in a saving way and relationship and who was diametrically opposed to Christ’s Lordship and Headship over His Church.

Gives tacit support to all the heretical claims made by the Roman Catholic religion for its sacramental system of ‘salvation’ and which were embraced and practiced by Ignatius Loyola.

A helpful article and video clip basically summarising what I have said can be viewed on

http://www.solasisters.com/2012/06/redeemers-timkeller-recommends.html

A slightly expanded and helpful version of this article can also be viewed on

http://www.solasisters.com/2012/06/tim-keller-andproblems-with-ignatius.html

Another helpful resource outlining the deadlypiritual dangers of Ignatius Loyola can be found on

http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/133- spiritual-formation-movement/796-ignatius

“Engaging with Keller” What it fails to deliver’

“Engaging with Keller” was a book that analysed many areas of Tim Keller’s teachings. It took the form of a series of essays written by a number of Reformed ministers and lecturers in which each addressed a particular topic or aspect of Mr Keller’s teachings.

Whilst I found myself in agreement with the majority of the various critiques that identified serious errors and flaws in Mr Keller’s teachings and thinking I found myself at great odds with the overly gracious acceptance and promotion of Mr Keller as being someone who “has done immense good for the kingdom of God as a theological teacher, innovative and imaginative pastor and engaging apologist” (Foreword: page 7). Just how much error can someone preach and teach and still be considered (a) a force for “good for the kingdom of God” and (b) a true and to be trusted brother in Christ?

I was directed to a short article where this ‘dilemma’ was addressed by someone who sells Christian books. The article is located on

http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/wo rdofcaution.html

and they came to this conclusion – “We can disagree with a man on many things and still think that people can benefit immensely from his gospel ministry. I know there is a group of people would prefer that we remove him altogether from our store. And I thank them for bringing some of these things to my attention. But after having sought counsel on this from other pastors I feel a warning of this kind is best way to go forward. If these warnings are taken into account and heeded, then I believe you will be blessed by Dr. Keller’s helpful ministry.”

Drawing on my own experience as an ‘apologist’ I have to say that I have to disagree with this ‘conclusion’. It has been my experience that there is always suitable alternative written material that has been produced by recognised sound preachers and teachers – to recommend and sell the supposedly ‘sound’ materials that someone who also has a wide-ranging track-record for ‘unsound’ views and teachings is for me a recipe for disaster.

How can someone ‘young in the faith’ differentiate between the supposedly ‘sound’ and ‘unsound’ views of a particular author like Tim Keller? Someone who is told it is safe to drink ‘shandy’ is being opened up to the possibility of becoming an alcoholic hooked on whiskey or gin. ‘Shandy’ they are told is alcoholic but harmless but the reality is it can lead them on to ‘the hard stuff’. Reading a supposedly harmless ‘sound’ book by Tim Keller has all the potential to lead someone on to subsequently read and imbibe his dangerous and ‘unsound’ books.

I had thought of trying to write a piece outlining my thoughts on “Engaging with Keller” and how it does a good job of diagnosing many of his errors and false teachings but then fails completely to draw what to me is the obvious conclusion namely to avoid his writings ‘like the plague’.

However I have tracked down an article that puts in print basically my own thoughts and this article is located on –

http://www.bibleleaguetrust.org/keller-and-his-critics/

I want to quote in particular these comments made at the end of the article and with which sadly I have to agree –

“We believe that the evidence presented above provides overwhelming proof that Keller is not orthodox in his theology, and he certainly does not demonstrate a commitment to sound Reformed doctrine. An examination of Keller’s theology shows that he uses Scripture to support his own ideas and to further his own agenda. We have seen nothing that convinces us that Keller preaches the true gospel of Christ. By refusing to deal with even the possibility that Keller is a false teacher, the editors of Engaging with Keller have done a disservice to the cause of Christ, and the gospel of Truth”.

Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 23rd March 2015