Famed evangelical minister Timothy Keller died Friday morning after a battle with pancreatic cancer, a tweet from his account announced on Twitter. He was 72.
“Dad waited until he was alone with Mom. She kissed him on the forehead and he breathed his last breath,” the tweet read. “We take comfort in some of his last words, ‘There is no downside for me leaving, not in the slightest.’”
Keller had announced in June 2020 that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and would be receiving chemotherapy.
A series of tweets from Keller’s account were signed by his son Michael, who posted Thursday that his father had been discharged from the hospital and would receive hospice care at home.
Keller was the author of several best-selling books on Christianity and was the founding pastor of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.
Redeemer City to City, a nonprofit co-founded by Keller, released a statement on his death on Twitter.
“Timothy J. Keller, who was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, co-founder of Redeemer City to City, and the author of several books, died at the age of 72 on May 19, trusting in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection,” the statement said. “He is survived by his wife Kathy, his three sons and their wives, a sister, and seven grandchildren.”
A livestream worship service would be held in the coming weeks, the nonprofit said.
President George W. Bush also expressed his condolences in a statement obtained by CNN.
“Tim Keller was one of America’s foremost Christian thinkers and preachers,” the statement read. “He was a great church builder, a prolific author, and a profound philosopher. I’m fortunate to have gotten to know him”
Bush described himself as “one of many who is blessed to have learned” from Keller’s teachings. “Laura and I wish Kathy and their children peace,” the statement says.