How Tim Keller was one artist’s muse

Upon learning of Tim Keller’s death, artist Makoto Fujimura recently shared how deeply he had been impacted by the American pastor, both spiritually and artistically.

Fujimura first met Keller in the early 90s, when Redeemer Church had only 200 members. He began attending church meetings and rigorous Monday evening classes. He based his ‘Theology of Making’ partly on conversations with Keller, and his approach to culture called ‘Culture Care’ on his experiences at Redeemer. But while this shaped his practice, when trauma struck it was Keller’s pastoral heart that proved invaluable.

New York’s twin towers collapsed on 9/11, and Fujimura was trapped in a subway. In a recent Facebook post, he shared that ‘it is a miracle I’m still living’ and spoke of the comfort Keller offered: