What do you think?
Rate this book
How to Find God #3
On Death
From New York Times bestselling author and pastor Timothy Keller, a book about facing the death of loved ones, as well as our own inevitable death
Significant events such as birth, marriage, and death are milestones in our lives in which we experience our greatest happiness and our deepest grief. And so it is profoundly important to understand how to approach and experience these occasions with grace, endurance, and joy.
In a culture that does its best to deny death, Timothy Keller--theologian and bestselling author--teaches us about facing death with the resources of faith from the Bible. With wisdom and compassion, Keller finds in the Bible an alternative to both despair or denial.
A short, powerful book, On Death gives us the tools to understand the meaning of death within God's vision of life.
Significant events such as birth, marriage, and death are milestones in our lives in which we experience our greatest happiness and our deepest grief. And so it is profoundly important to understand how to approach and experience these occasions with grace, endurance, and joy.
In a culture that does its best to deny death, Timothy Keller--theologian and bestselling author--teaches us about facing death with the resources of faith from the Bible. With wisdom and compassion, Keller finds in the Bible an alternative to both despair or denial.
A short, powerful book, On Death gives us the tools to understand the meaning of death within God's vision of life.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
167 people are currently reading
1284 people want to read
About the author
Timothy J. Keller
397 books5,759 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Timothy Keller was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons. For over twenty years he has led a diverse congregation of young professionals that has grown to a weekly attendance of over 5,000.
He was also Chairman of Redeemer City to City, which starts new churches in New York and other global cities, and publishes books and resources for faith in an urban culture. In over ten years they have helped to launch over 250 churches in 48 cities. More recently, Dr. Keller’s books, including the New York Times bestselling The Reason for God and The Prodigal God, have sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 15 languages.
Christianity Today has said, “Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”
Dr. Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as the pastor of West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Director of Mercy Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America.
Timothy Keller was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons. For over twenty years he has led a diverse congregation of young professionals that has grown to a weekly attendance of over 5,000.
He was also Chairman of Redeemer City to City, which starts new churches in New York and other global cities, and publishes books and resources for faith in an urban culture. In over ten years they have helped to launch over 250 churches in 48 cities. More recently, Dr. Keller’s books, including the New York Times bestselling The Reason for God and The Prodigal God, have sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 15 languages.
Christianity Today has said, “Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”
Dr. Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He previously served as the pastor of West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, and Director of Mercy Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
March 30, 2020
I had no idea this book was so tiny when I ordered it, but for its small size it contains a load of substance and insight. During this coronavirus pandemic many of us have been pondering these ultimate matters more than usual, and Keller speaks uplifting truth in a thoughtful yet concise way.
Now I’m going to go ahead and buy the other two books in the series, “Birth” and “Marriage.”
TGC has a great review:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/re...
Now I’m going to go ahead and buy the other two books in the series, “Birth” and “Marriage.”
TGC has a great review:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/re...
January 19, 2021
Comforting. Hopeful. Practical. If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, or are facing your own imminent death (and you are!), you should read this book.
July 14, 2023
It would be healthy for us to recover a dialogue about death as a society. Keller shows us a great starting point in this book.
March 16, 2020
Another book where Keller is at his best. This part stood out to me:
"Many people are unaware of the condemnation that has been pronounced over them, or else they are unacquainted with its magnitude, except perhaps for a nagging sense of unease. When facing death, however, our enemy allows us to see the full scope of our cosmic treason, and what answer do we have then? Only this-that Jesus has taken our punishment and set us free, and there is now no condemnation left for us. Rejoice!"
"Many people are unaware of the condemnation that has been pronounced over them, or else they are unacquainted with its magnitude, except perhaps for a nagging sense of unease. When facing death, however, our enemy allows us to see the full scope of our cosmic treason, and what answer do we have then? Only this-that Jesus has taken our punishment and set us free, and there is now no condemnation left for us. Rejoice!"
November 21, 2023
“If you live, Jesus will be with you, but if you die, you will be with Him. Either way He has you.”
May 30, 2023
Ordered it the night he went home on hospice the day before he died. Quick and very helpful (and hopeful) read that I’m sure I’ll re-read again!
November 7, 2022
A couple of months, my church Covenant Group decided that this was the book they would pick up together for the next few months.
Written as the final part of the "How to find God" series (the first two being "On Birth" and "On Marriage"), "On Death" deals with the nature of death, how humanity has sought to deal with it over the ages, and what the Bible has to say about death. In his usual fashion, Keller draws from a range of philosophers in identifying how humans have responded to death throughout the ages, whether through nihilism or denying the pain of the inevitable. He does this (I suspect) to get readers really thinking through their own thoughts on the topic and once this has been achieved, Keller dives right into what the Bible has to say about our human solutions in dealing with death: this latter part of the book is also peppered with poetry (which I appreciated!)
If you're looking for a quick 1,2 day read with meaningful content, this book is only the size of my palm and a mere hundred pages. The words were also penned by a man who is facing his mortality head on with his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis: he does not preach from an ivory tower. I would most certainly revisit the book again in the near future.
Written as the final part of the "How to find God" series (the first two being "On Birth" and "On Marriage"), "On Death" deals with the nature of death, how humanity has sought to deal with it over the ages, and what the Bible has to say about death. In his usual fashion, Keller draws from a range of philosophers in identifying how humans have responded to death throughout the ages, whether through nihilism or denying the pain of the inevitable. He does this (I suspect) to get readers really thinking through their own thoughts on the topic and once this has been achieved, Keller dives right into what the Bible has to say about our human solutions in dealing with death: this latter part of the book is also peppered with poetry (which I appreciated!)
If you're looking for a quick 1,2 day read with meaningful content, this book is only the size of my palm and a mere hundred pages. The words were also penned by a man who is facing his mortality head on with his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis: he does not preach from an ivory tower. I would most certainly revisit the book again in the near future.
March 22, 2020
A fitting book in our current time of unprecedented unknowns, Keller provides the biblical path to facing death with hope, not avoiding it like our culture is wont to do. I loved his breakdown of Jesus's responses to death: that he was angry, even raging, at the death of his friend Lazarus; and yet, he grieved death with hope, knowing the path he would provide through resurrection.
This was a line that helped me put something new together about the resurrection. This hadn't clicked for me before:
"When a prisoner has fully paid his debt he is released; the law no longer has any claim on him. So when Jesus fully paid the debt of sin with his death, he was resurrected. The law and death had no more claim on him. Nor does [death] have any claim on us if we believe in him." (Page 65)
This was a line that helped me put something new together about the resurrection. This hadn't clicked for me before:
"When a prisoner has fully paid his debt he is released; the law no longer has any claim on him. So when Jesus fully paid the debt of sin with his death, he was resurrected. The law and death had no more claim on him. Nor does [death] have any claim on us if we believe in him." (Page 65)
April 9, 2022
faith in Christ provides hope in death. we grieve differently. simply because Jesus is no longer in the grave. PRAISE GOD! a great book to remind of us of the truths of death. how to think about it and be in the midst of it. literally read it in one day, yes because it’s good but also because it’s a tiny book. a helpful read when either experiencing death of our own bodies or also of a loved one.
February 15, 2024
This little book is like a warm bowl of soup on a cold day. It warms the heart with every bite, even while your skin still feels chapped by the wind.
The winsome apologetic and pastoral sensitivity is classic Keller. Such an accessible and helpful book both to hand to a friend or to read with an awareness of your own death.
As I read I couldn’t help but to think of the way Keller lived up till the end with a persistent hope in the face of death. If your heart is covered in frost from the coldness of the world, this little book may just be the warmth that might begin to thaw it out and help it beat again for God.
The winsome apologetic and pastoral sensitivity is classic Keller. Such an accessible and helpful book both to hand to a friend or to read with an awareness of your own death.
As I read I couldn’t help but to think of the way Keller lived up till the end with a persistent hope in the face of death. If your heart is covered in frost from the coldness of the world, this little book may just be the warmth that might begin to thaw it out and help it beat again for God.
July 1, 2022
Encouraging, short and hopeful book reminding us of our faith when facing our greatest enemy, death. The last section on hope and how to grieve with that hope was especially uplifting and comforting.
March 13, 2024
Love. Such a helpful book for some things I’ve been wrestling through. Will come back to this book again for references & reminders
May 26, 2021
"Grieve fully yet with profound hope."
July 29, 2025
Brief and punchy apologetic. Would be ideal for a non Christian thinking about their own or someone else’s death.
March 26, 2020
Directly addresses the important topic we tend to avoid. Reflects on the Christian’s unique approach to death, which is the balance of two extremes: deep grief for death, and strong hope for eternity.
Prompted me to think more pointedly about death (my own, and of my loved ones), which made me feel both uneasy and comforted.
Prompted me to think more pointedly about death (my own, and of my loved ones), which made me feel both uneasy and comforted.
May 15, 2025
Keller at his best.
June 23, 2020
As the author (and wife Kathy) reveal at the very beginning of the book, the text derives from a sermon Pastor Keller preached at his sister-in-law's funeral. He begins by touching on the major reasons why we in the present age have such a different view of death from that of our ancestors: "the blessing of modern medicine has hidden death from us"; this secular world emphasizes meaning and fulfillment in the here-and-now; the modern view of death as nonexistence leads to a fear of personal insignificance; and we have lost the traditional teachings about sin, guilt, and forgiveness. He suggests that we need to recognize that everything in human existence is temporary, but God -- and His love -- are NOT. Then, taking I Thessalonians 4. 13-14 as his text, the author embarks on an explanation of Christian grieving: we are to grieve (as Jesus did at the tomb of His friend Lazarus), but we are to "grieve with hope," as Keller goes on to demonstrate. The power of Christian hope is that it is: personal (dying in Christ means finding oneself in a community of saints who have died previously), material (we will receive new bodies, as Jesus did following His resurrection), beatific (our communion with the Lord will be perfect and face-to-face), and, unique to Christianity, our hope is assured, because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. As a result, we believers can laugh and sing, even in the face of death. -- The book concludes with an appendix in two parts: for those who are facing their own deaths and for those who are facing the death of a loved one. In both parts, Pastor Keller suggests a week's worth of Bible verses with brief comments to assist and guide one's meditation. -- This is, admittedly, a short book (although, I suspect, it made for a rather long sermon!), but one that is packed with content that is helpful, encouraging, and pastoral. Recommended!
May 15, 2024
Such a wonderful little book. Are you afraid of death? Watching someone die? Preparing for your own death?
Tim Keller invites us to into a conversation about death that is gentle, firm, and hopeful.
“We’re going to eat and drink with the Son of Man.
And this is the final defeat of death. This is not merely a consolation in heaven for the material life we lost. This is a restoration of that life. It’s getting the love, the body, the mind, the being we’ve always longed for.
You see, there’s a real you, a true self down inside you, but then there are all the flaws and weaknesses that bury and mar and hide it. But the Christian hope is that the love and holiness of God will burn it all away. On that day, we’re going to see each other, and say,
‘I always knew you could be like this. I saw glimpses of it. I saw flashes of it. Now look at you.’”
Tim Keller invites us to into a conversation about death that is gentle, firm, and hopeful.
“We’re going to eat and drink with the Son of Man.
And this is the final defeat of death. This is not merely a consolation in heaven for the material life we lost. This is a restoration of that life. It’s getting the love, the body, the mind, the being we’ve always longed for.
You see, there’s a real you, a true self down inside you, but then there are all the flaws and weaknesses that bury and mar and hide it. But the Christian hope is that the love and holiness of God will burn it all away. On that day, we’re going to see each other, and say,
‘I always knew you could be like this. I saw glimpses of it. I saw flashes of it. Now look at you.’”
September 8, 2022
This is a very small book, so very approachable. However, because of its size, some topics felt like they were covered too briefly. All good content, nonetheless.
I really enjoyed the quote “Death is not the way it ought to be. It is abnormal, it is not a friend, it isn’t right. This isn’t truly part of the circle of life. Death is the end of it. So grieve. Cry. The Bible tells us not only to weep, but to weep with those who are weeping (Romans 12:15). We have a lot of crying to do”.
The next section is then on how to grieve with hope which is truly the biggest advantage we have as Christians in mourning.
I really enjoyed the quote “Death is not the way it ought to be. It is abnormal, it is not a friend, it isn’t right. This isn’t truly part of the circle of life. Death is the end of it. So grieve. Cry. The Bible tells us not only to weep, but to weep with those who are weeping (Romans 12:15). We have a lot of crying to do”.
The next section is then on how to grieve with hope which is truly the biggest advantage we have as Christians in mourning.
July 13, 2024
‘You see, there’s a real you, a true self down inside you, but then there are all the flaws and weaknesses that bury and mar and hide it. But the Christian hope is that the love and holiness of God will burn it all away. On that day, we’re going to see eachother, and say, “I always knew you could be like this. I saw glimpses of it. I saw flashes of it. Now look at you”(54-55).
Keller pastorally guides the reader through death by looking at our secularist avoidance of death and Christ’s ultimate defeat of death. Any book that talks about the beatific vision will typically get five stars from me
Keller pastorally guides the reader through death by looking at our secularist avoidance of death and Christ’s ultimate defeat of death. Any book that talks about the beatific vision will typically get five stars from me
July 19, 2021
A fitting end to a great little series. Keller expounds, as always, with clarity and cuts through to the heart.
“When we grieve and rage in the face of death, we are responding appropriately to a great evil. But Christians have a hope that can be ‘rubbed into’ our sorrow and anger the way salt is rubbed into meat. Neither stifling grief nor giving way to despair is right. Neither repressed anger nor unchecked rage is good for your soul. But pressing hope into your grief makes you wise, compassionate, humble and tender-hearted.
Grieve fully yet with profound hope!”
“When we grieve and rage in the face of death, we are responding appropriately to a great evil. But Christians have a hope that can be ‘rubbed into’ our sorrow and anger the way salt is rubbed into meat. Neither stifling grief nor giving way to despair is right. Neither repressed anger nor unchecked rage is good for your soul. But pressing hope into your grief makes you wise, compassionate, humble and tender-hearted.
Grieve fully yet with profound hope!”
September 29, 2022
“God’s love, which can go into death with us and take us through it and into His arms. It’s the one thing you can’t lose.”
“It’s in death that God says, “If I’m not your security, then you’ve got no security.”
“Death used to be an executioner, but the Gospel makes him just a gardener. Death used to be able to crush us, but now all death can do is plant us in God’s soil so we become something extraordinary.”
What a comfort this read was.
Highly recommend this to literally everyone.
“It’s in death that God says, “If I’m not your security, then you’ve got no security.”
“Death used to be an executioner, but the Gospel makes him just a gardener. Death used to be able to crush us, but now all death can do is plant us in God’s soil so we become something extraordinary.”
What a comfort this read was.
Highly recommend this to literally everyone.
February 16, 2024
Enjoyed this, another one of Timothy Keller’s brief books - I agree with Keller that the taboo-ification of death these days is causing more harm than good. We are so avoidant of death in all its forms that we are utterly unprepared to deal or cope with it when it approaches others, and are unwilling to meaningfully face it in regard to ourselves
August 17, 2020
So incredibly good. Wonderful to give someone facing death, grieving a lost loved one, or as an apologetic. It's very short and readable (96 pages).
December 22, 2020
A captivating & distilled little book that provides the recipe for how to realign our busy world. Tim (&Kathy) Keller at his best.
March 13, 2021
Short, accessible, Gospel-focused little book on death.
November 7, 2022
Grieve with hope
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1 Thes 4:14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1 Thes 4:14
March 5, 2023
It brought comfort and understanding when I needed it.
January 31, 2024
Not your standard vacation read, but a good one that helps frame the cultural and societal reasons why the topic of death is so difficult to even talk about, let alone prepare for.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews