Ken's Reviews > The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Quick read. Small book (both physically and in its 148 pp). Whole thing is based on the parable of the prodigal son. Most of us just think it's about forgiving Rowdy Roddy (#2 Son), but Keller spends 150 pp. telling us, "Nope. Wrong." Nicely, I mean.

For him, the parable is about equally bad bros -- both the prodigal who burns through Dad's money and then comes back as a penitent AND the elder, who resents the fact that his father welcomes Rowdy home. Guess who comes out smelling like a Biblical rose? Yep. Dad.

Anyway, Keller first divides much of mankind between "elder brother" and "younger brother" types -- the tow-the-rope, self-described pillars of society and religion and the free spirits who go off and blow it off. They're equally sinful, in their way, and Keller equates religious zealots who judge others as being guilty of the elder son's sin. Cool. He takes it beyond that, drawing in a few literary references along the way, and finishing with a rather open and refreshing view of religion (Christianity started as an anti-religion, if that helps).

Easy, thought-provoking stuff. Atheists who dismiss believers are in here too. Guess what? Elder son sorts. Just like the Pharisees. Go figure....