The Stories We Live By - How Jesus Critiques and Completes What Our Culture Tells Us

We are the stories we believe. But what if our culture's stories are failing us? The Stories We Live By reveals the hidden cultural narratives that shape us and points the way to the life we've been looking for.
"Do what makes you happy." "Be true to yourself." "Live free." If these slogans promise the good life, why do they so often leave us feeling hollow and empty? Could the very stories our modern world tells us about happiness, freedom, and identity be the source of our growing anxiety and disillusionment?
The culmination of a journey Michael Keller began with his father, beloved pastor and bestselling author Timothy Keller, before his passing, The Stories We Live By unmasks the hidden cultural narratives that shape our lives, often without our knowledge. Examining seven dominant narratives of modern culture--concerning identity, power, freedom, morality, truth, happiness, and progress--the authors show how these stories contain elements of truth yet are built on flawed assumptions and internal contradictions that leave us fragile, divided, and unable to cope with the realities of life.
The Stories We Live By helps us:

• Recognize where these stories appear throughout culture
• Understand why they leave us feeling hollow and unfulfilled
• Decode the specific ways these stories hijack our decision-making--and learn how to critically evaluate them going forward
• Understand why the Christian story offers a more satisfying answer to our deepest longings
• Make sense of both the beauty and the brokenness of the world
• Find a hope that can sustain us through suffering, grounded in a story that is bigger than death itself

For the skeptic, this book offers a challenge to examine the unproven beliefs that drive our lives. For the Christian, it is an essential tool for recognizing where we have unknowingly absorbed cultural narratives that conflict with our faith. And for everyone, it is an invitation to discover a story that is big enough to make sense of both the beauty and the brokenness of the world--a story of grace that has the power to carry us through life's deepest joys and sorrows.
Born from a conversation between a father and son, The Stories We Live By is more than a cultural analysis. It is a guide to finding a truer, more beautiful, and far more satisfying story to live by.

About the author

Timothy J. Keller (1950–2023) was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, cofounder of Redeemer City to City, and the author of numerous books, including The Reason for God, The Prodigal God, and The Meaning of Marriage. His thirty-one books have sold over six million copies and have been translated into twenty-nine languages.
Michael Keller is the lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church Lincoln Square and also the longest-tenured senior pastor in the Redeemer network of churches in New York City. He has spent the past sixteen years engaging with one of the world’s most culturally diverse populations. He holds a PhD from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and MDiv and ThM degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His writings have been featured in publications such as Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, ByFaith magazine, and Gospel in Life.

Summary

We are the stories we believe. But what if our culture's stories are failing us? The Stories We Live By reveals the hidden cultural narratives that shape us and points the way to the life we've been looking for.
"Do what makes you happy." "Be true to yourself." "Live free." If these slogans promise the good life, why do they so often leave us feeling hollow and empty? Could the very stories our modern world tells us about happiness, freedom, and identity be the source of our growing anxiety and disillusionment?
The culmination of a journey Michael Keller began with his father, beloved pastor and bestselling author Timothy Keller, before his passing, The Stories We Live By unmasks the hidden cultural narratives that shape our lives, often without our knowledge. Examining seven dominant narratives of modern culture--concerning identity, power, freedom, morality, truth, happiness, and progress--the authors show how these stories contain elements of truth yet are built on flawed assumptions and internal contradictions that leave us fragile, divided, and unable to cope with the realities of life.
The Stories We Live By helps us:

• Recognize where these stories appear throughout culture
• Understand why they leave us feeling hollow and unfulfilled
• Decode the specific ways these stories hijack our decision-making--and learn how to critically evaluate them going forward
• Understand why the Christian story offers a more satisfying answer to our deepest longings
• Make sense of both the beauty and the brokenness of the world
• Find a hope that can sustain us through suffering, grounded in a story that is bigger than death itself

 
For the skeptic, this book offers a challenge to examine the unproven beliefs that drive our lives. For the Christian, it is an essential tool for recognizing where we have unknowingly absorbed cultural narratives that conflict with our faith. And for everyone, it is an invitation to discover a story that is big enough to make sense of both the beauty and the brokenness of the world--a story of grace that has the power to carry us through life's deepest joys and sorrows.
Born from a conversation between a father and son, The Stories We Live By is more than a cultural analysis. It is a guide to finding a truer, more beautiful, and far more satisfying story to live by.

Product details

• Authors: Michael Keller, Timothy Keller
• Publisher: Harper Collins (US)
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 22.09.2026
• EAN: 9780310371298
• ISBN: 978-0-310-37129-8
• No. of pages: 256
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Religion: general, reference works; RELIGION / Christian Theology / Apologetics, RELIGION / Christian Theology / Ethics, RELIGION / Christian Ministry / Discipleship