This is a remarkable and refreshing article by Kevin DeYoung and very insightful on Tim Keller’s philosophical and theological ministry emphasis. Tim Keller has had a towering influence upon my life in my ministry and also to my wife and our children as well to some extent. After reading this article by Kevin DeYoung I’m very grateful he brought out the differences he has with Tim Keller which really resonates with me. Like Kevin DeYoung what I learned so much from Tim Keller and admire his preaching and insightful gospel analysis etc, I do have some grounds which I differ from him and I’m so glad that Kevin young pointed it out in a very similar fashion I can truly resonate with.
Safeguarding against Legalism or liberalism
DeYoung is definitely right in pointing out that Tim Keller‘s emphasis of preaching is is against legalism, while his owns emphasis would be against liberalism. I could vouch for that as my own emphasis in ministry, and preaching and thinking, is against liberalism much more against legalism from Augustine to Princeton sad transition from conservative to liberalism, I am fired up to defend, conservative God centered orthodoxy , rather than anything else.
Center Left Politically & Socially
DeYoung writes, “At the same time, Keller is probably center-left within the PCA, whereas I am center-right. As much as I give thanks for Keller, I often find myself sizing up our cultural moment and approaching ministry in a somewhat different way.”— I am center-right.
First Tim Keller is center left within the PCA whereas Kevin DeYoung is center right. I’ve always wondered where does Tim Keller land in terms of his political and social view and I’ve always suspected he’s on the center left but I could never put it down because I wasn’t sure it would be right. But now a respected well known the theologian and pastor Dr Kevin DeYoung has described him to be that way I feel relieved. As much as I respect his great preaching gospel centered theology and preaching, I differ from him in terms of my political and social viewpoint, not only within the PCA only but the evangelical world. I am definitely center right like Kevin DeYoung and I feel more assured and grateful that I found where I could land.
Kuyper/Bavinck Neo Calvinism first or Calvin first ?
Now the second thing is really interesting because Tim Keller takes more from Kuyper, Bavinck and Neo Calvinism first above taking his cues from Calvin and others in the reformed world. I’m glad that this is something I have also observed much as well.
DeYoung writes: Keller has acknowledged before that he is a culturalist first, then a pietist, then a doctrinalist. I would say that my order is just the opposite. In fact, if it’s not too doctrinalist of me, I think that sound doctrine is more than an impulse; it is foundational and indispensable for the other two emphases. While I’m at it, I might as well say that I’m not convinced that the culture-transforming agenda belongs to the Church qua Church, nor that it won’t end up being co-opted by an ever-expanding list of “social justice” causes.[1]
I find this refreshingly spot on and really helps me to think through my own ministry in terms of the balance between a doctrinalist and a culturalist with reference to Kevin DeYoung’s article in the paragraph above. For sure I believe every evangelical Christian including Reformed Christian should first and foremost be a doctrinalist before becoming a culturalist, as its important and relevant as it may be, in the modern day and age. Because without being a doctrinalist, how can you be the culturalist? How can you dissect and analyze our culture without first being grounded in our own doctrine of God? Like John Calvin says unless you know who God you is, you can never find out who you are. The center of gravitas must be God, and the doctrine of God. And that’s why we should read John Calvin first before reading Neo Calvinism for example. While Kevin DeYoung’s not convinced that the culture transforming agenda belongs to the church, I disagree with that. I believe cultural transformation is very much part of the church life in Christ in working out the glorious power of the Holy Spirit and the life of Christ to the world at large.
Kevin DeYoung wrote:
I asked Hansen while he was writing the book, “Is Keller basically a dyed-in-the-wool Presbyterian who is willing to bend and nuance things because he wants to reach the lost, or is he basically a big-tent evangelical with enough Reformed sensibilities to keep him tethered to good theology?” Hansen replied, “Oh, definitely the second.” Hansen suggests that, for Keller, the Old Princeton tradition of Charles Hodge and J. Gresham Machen “emphasized the closed fist of theological orthodoxy.” I’m more appreciative of the Princeton tradition and their early Westminster successors than Tim is, and he’s more appreciative of Kuyper and neo-Calvinism. I take my cues from Calvin, Turretin, Machen, and Murray first, then add twentieth-century British evangelicals to keep me from being too narrow. I think Tim takes his cues from those British evangelicals first, but reads enough Calvin, Turretin, Machen, and Murray to keep him well grounded.[2]
So the book talked about Tim Keller being a big tent evangelical with enough reform sensibilities to keep him tethered to good theology. Kevin DeYoung writes that he is more appreciative of the Princeton tradition and they’re early Westminster successors then Tim Keller is. Tim is more appreciative of Kuyper and Neo Calvinist and I will agree with Kevin DeYoung that I will be appreciative more of John Calvin first and then the Neo Calvinism stuff. The Neo Calvinism stuff is really very cultural oriented how to be orthodox and yet modern in an effort to reach the contemporary world which is very good in itself but it is just not as orthodox and soul anchoring as John Calvin’s and Augustine’s writings.
DeYoung writes: “I’m more appreciative of the Princeton tradition and their early Westminster successors than Tim is, and he’s more appreciative of Kuyper and neo-Calvinism. I take my cues from Calvin, Turretin, Machen, and Murray first, then add twentieth-century British evangelicals to keep me from being too narrow. I think Tim takes his cues from those British evangelicals first, but reads enough Calvin, Turretin, Machen, and Murray to keep him well grounded.”
–I am more Calvin first too.
[1] Kevin DeYoung, Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation https://www.firstthings.com/article/2023/05/an-american-evangelist?fbclid=IwAR1EgzhD3veAM35aqF7TyraWmpmO8_UpYCs8iv0L9qOyKD1RbL0Uy9_xUcI
[2] Kevin DeYoung, Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation https://www.firstthings.com/article/2023/05/an-american-evangelist?fbclid=IwAR1EgzhD3veAM35aqF7TyraWmpmO8_UpYCs8iv0L9qOyKD1RbL0Uy9_xUcI
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