Sunday, 12 July 2009
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What Books Would You Recommend?
Last month, a post was featured on the home page asking if Revelife visitors read Christian Literature. I must admit I’m an avid fan of reading, but I have mostly stayed out of the “Christian” realm of literature for a few years. I know that the quality of the fiction has gotten better and there are tons of non-fiction books that are worth reading. I am starting to wonder what books to read this summer. I want to know what books you would recommend. This is besides the Bible since I consider that a given read. If you could recommend one fiction and one non-fiction book for someone else to read, what books would they be?
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- From: mr_twenty_something
- Name: Tim
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Comments (44)
In the realm of Christian Literature,
For Guys: Wild at Heart
For Girls: Captivating
For Everyone: Redeeming Love (although probably more of a "girl book"; it is based on the Book of Hosea)
(Anyone can really read any of those, but if you're a guy, read Wild at Heart first and if you're a girl, read Captivating first, then read the other)
I also liked Blue Like Jazz.
Fiction - C.S Lewis's Space Trilogy
Non- Fiction - Jim & Casper go to church : Frank Conversation about Faith, Churches, and Well-Meaning Christians - Jim Henderson, Matt Casper, and George Barna
Aside from the Bible.... lol
I like "The Knowledge of the Holy" by A.W. Tozer. Probably the best book I've read.
There's no such thing as good Christian fiction.
C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce is a fantastic take on the afterlife and philosophy.
For non-fiction, I believe Bruchko is pretty good. It's been a long time since I read it, but I think it was good.
Fiction:
The Shack by Paul Young
Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan
New Kind of Christian / The Story We find Ourselves In / The Last Word and the Word After That by Brian McLaren
Non-fiction: (I'm listing a lot since this is all I read)
The Early Christians by Eberhard Arnold
Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey
The Moral Vision of the New Testament by Keith B. Hays
Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne
Myth of a Christian Nation by Greg Boyd (Myth of a Christian Religion is good too).
Slaves, Women & Homosexuals by William Webb
12 Marks of a New Monasticism edited by The Rutba House
The Politics of Jesus by John Howard Yoder
Engaging the Powers by Walter Wink
Strength to Love by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Vision and the Vow by Pete Greig
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
@TheGreatBout@xanga - I like your list. It is hard to just pick one of each, but I'll go with the first two that pop into my head:
Fiction: The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis
Non Fiction: A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren
Depending upon the person, these two books will either open a believer's eyes to a wider view of Christianity or will more fully describe what heresy looks like.
@TheGreatBout@xanga - I love Manning! I actually met him last year. :) My copy of Ragamuffin Gospel is autographed.
@mr_twenty_something: I'm not a big fan of Christian fiction, but as for non-fiction, anything and EVERYTHING by Brennan Manning - start with The Ragamuffin Gospel and move on to Abba's Child, Signature of Jesus, The Importance of Being Foolish, Glimpse of Jesus...
Fiction (but theologically thoughtful): G.K. Chesterton "The Man who was Thursday" and "The Ball and the Cross"
Non-Fiction: John Piper "God is the Gospel"
I just finished Who would Jesus kill? by Mark Allman, which is non-fiction. I recommend it highly. I really don't know of any fiction that I would consider good Christian fiction. Though, I read The Midnight Dancers when I was younger and loved it, but I don't think anyone here is 16 so it probably would not be all that appealing.
Some outstanding fiction that integrates the teachings of Jesus include Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment" and "Brothers Karamazov" as well as Tolstoy's shorter works: "The Godson", "What Men Live By", "A Spark Neglected Burns the House", and many others. I've heard that Steinbeck's "East of Eden" relates to something in the Old Testament; I haven't read it yet but it's definitely my next read.
Non-fiction - I don't have enough faith to be an atheist - Norm Geisler.
i read joyce meyers a very great author and an inspiration to me.
@magdavelas@xanga - I agree with that list of classic writings. Strong Christian elements to them.
For non-fiction I suggest Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon.
I just made you really want to read it, now didn't I?
i dont know any "christian fiction" per-say. Of course, this does not include the allegory of the narnia series. I would recommend anything by the earlier reformers...like whitefield, luther, calvin, spurgeon, a.w. pink, edwards, etc...
currently, anything by Sproul, piper, j.i. packer, john macarthur, d.a. carson, etc.
if you truly want to grow in the faith...these are great to read aside from the Holy Scriptures. These are true men of the faith who were moved greatly by the Holy Spirit.
Honestly, I would avoid much of the fluff and filth that seems to pervade much of the current writing. Sadly, their attempt to be "post-modern" has not produced anything new under the sun but only served to reinvigorate old heresies...be careful and discerning!
@CrazySwede@xanga - I started reading Ruthless Trust but kept thinknig "I feel like I've read this before" and never finished it. Raggamuffin and Signature were nice.
@soy_esteban@xanga - I didn't like Resident Aliens for the first 5 chapters. Then it got really good.
I'd be a terrible person to ask for a fiction piece, mostly because I don't really like to read fiction. The fiction I do read is generally stuff that has some type of moral or theological purpose (i.e. The Screwtape Letters).
As far as non-fiction goes, I would highly recommend the book, "Questions To All Your Answers: The Journey From Folk Religion To Examined Faith" by Roger E. Olson. It's an easy read, but it has a great deal of value, if only to challenge you to think beyond the "pat answers" we're used to.
I'd have to also agree with those who've suggested "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I'd also recommend "Life Together" by the same offer. If you really want to get into it, you can read, "Ethics".
There's also a good book by Dr. Gary Friesen called, "Decision Making And The Will Of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View". This one, like "Questions...", examines some of the things we accept as truisms without investigation. This book focuses primarily on those things dealing with the predestination/free-will discussion.
There are so many more I could suggest in the non-fiction category...
I hardly read any fiction, so won't recommend any fiction title.
As to non-fiction, I recommend any and everything by Dr. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who was pastor at Westminster Chapel, London, for 30 years. Tons of books of his sermons are available. I've never read anything by "the Doctor" and ever come away disappointed.
If I had to pick one of his books, it would be "Life in Christ: Studies in I John," which was the first book of his I read (almost 3 years ago now). If you want other recommendations, please ask me.
P.S.- Since I didn't list a fiction title, I'll add a biography here: "George Whitefield's Journals."
Drops from a leaking tap by George Verwer.
True Grit by Deborah Meroff both available free from OM (just google)
Books bt Mark Driscoll, C S Lewis, Frances Scheaffer, Ravi Zacarias,
Vishal Mangalwadi.
For humour Adrian Plass
Indain non-Christian fiction is very good too.
you can visit my blog
www.yesugarden.blogspot.com
I think the greatest book of our time is "Lord of the Rings," by JRR Tolkien, who was a Catholic Christian. For those who know of his faith, the Gospel can be seen everywhere in his work.
One of my favorite images is Gandolf afixing a crystal into his staff and leading the fellowship through the fallen realm of Morea, like the minister or priest who guides his parishoners through the fallen world with the light of the Word.
These hints and images of the faith are everywhere in Lord of the Rings, and painted with word-craft that very few writers in our age can achieve, Christian or otherwise.
Why can't all books be Lord of the Rings?
Be 'Spiritual' not religious.
I love Thomas Merton books.
Currently on, "New Seeds of Contemplation"
fiction: any Ted Dekker or Dean Koontz' books!
non-fiction: not sure. it depends what subjects you like to read about.
Detrich Bonhoffer's Cost of Discipleship is good, but tough to read. Ragamuffin Gospel by Manning is outstanding (I've read it thru at least 3 times & used the good instruction/thinking in my life)---I also liked his Abba's Child. I will have to get some of the others mentioned above. I've heard that Jim & Casper Go to Church is also very good. LAW--