Following Jesus In An Age of Authenticity

Philosopher Charles Taylor calls our secular age an “age of authenticity.” In an effort to realize our humanity, we search for an individual identity apart from social authorities, whether political or religious. It’s not hard to see this attitude at work in advertisements and campaigns. And it’s not hard to see why this mindset would pose a problem for disciples of Jesus.

For the sake of our neighbors and our own spiritual health, we must resist this cultural tidal wave. But how? How do we climb inside the “be yourself” narrative to build a bridge to the gospel? How do we address decidedly biblical issues—like sin and judgment—in a decidedly secular age?

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In a new roundtable video, first-rate thinkers Tim Keller (TGC vice president and pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan) and Russell Moore (president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and author of Onward) sit down to consider such questions with Collin Hansen (TGC editorial director and author of Blind Spots). They guide us through the turbulent currents of today’s cultural waters to the freedom found only in submission to Jesus. Along the way, they help us consider what happens when the prevailing narrative doesn’t deliver the joy it promises, where they see expressive individualism influencing the church, and more.

Free eBook by Tim Keller: ‘The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness’

Imagine a life where you don’t feel inadequate, easily offended, desperate to prove yourself, or endlessly preoccupied with how you look to others. Imagine relishing, not resenting, the success of others. Living this way isn’t far-fetched. It’s actually guaranteed to believers, as they learn to receive God’s approval, rather than striving to earn it.

In Tim Keller’s short ebook, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The Path To True Christian Joy, he explains how to overcome the toxic tendencies of our age一not by diluting biblical truth or denying our differences一but by rooting our identity in Christ.

TGC is offering this Keller resource for free, so you can discover the “blessed rest” that only self-forgetfulness brings.

Get access to your FREE ebook »

Tim Keller (MDiv, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; DMin, Westminster Theological Seminary) was founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Manhattan, chairman of Redeemer City to City, and co-founder of The Gospel Coalition. He wrote numerous books, including The Reason for God. He and his wife, Kathy, had three children.

Russell Moore (MDiv, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) public theologian at Christianity Today and director of Christianity Today’s Public Theology Project. He has written many books, including Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel (2015), The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home (2018), and The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul (2020). He and his wife, Maria, are the parents of five sons.

Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast, writes the weekly Unseen Things newsletter, and has written and contributed to many books, including Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation and Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential. He has published with the New York Times and the Washington Post and offered commentary for CNN, Fox News, NPR, BBC, ABC News, and PBS NewsHour. He edited the forthcoming The Gospel After Christendom and The New City Catechism Devotional, among other books. He is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also co-chairs the advisory board.