Required Reading for Moderates...

[JimfromOhio]

And I'll throw in The Cost of Discipleship, just in case someone hasn't gotten around to reading it yet.

That's one of the classics !!!

 

[Rowan]

Everything C.S. Lewis ever wrote, but especially Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain and The Great Divorce.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

Two more:

I just finished What Paul Meant by Garry Wills, and I highly recommend it. It's a short, easy read, but I guarantee you'll learn things about Paul that you didn't know. Wills is a Catholic and a history professor, but he is also a Latin and Greek scholar (PhD in Classics, Yale, 1961) and he sheds a fair bit of light on some of the Greek words.

The other is The New Man by Thomas Merton. This one I can't say too much about, since I just bought it today and haven't started it yet, but for those not familiar with him, Merton was a Trappist monk and the foremost Christian mystic of the 20th century. I read just a couple paragraphs from the middle of the book, and I was hooked. This man had an amazing mind, and I want to know him better.

 

[SumTinWong]

Inside out by Dr Larry Crabb was a very good book. It helps you look at sin from a deeper level than just trying to clean up your act. Very good read, not too wordy.

 

[edie19]

Everything C.S. Lewis ever wrote, but especially Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain and The Great Divorce.

Love CS Lewis. Tried to rep you but got the dreaded:

You have given out too much Reputation in the last 24 hours, try again later.

 

[edie19]

I've read a few books by him, What's so amazing about Grace, Reaching for the Invisible God, The Bible Jesus Read and of course The Jesus I never knew. He is one of my favorite Christian authors largely due to the fact that his books are quite personal and he admits to struggling and to doubting, it makes a huge change from the rest who claim to have never had any problems and God has always answered prayers. I tend to feel very inadequate reading books from the latter but with Yancey there's a feeling of relief that I'm not alone.

Yeah, exactly~nearly everything I've read of Yancey comes off as a guy just kinda hammerin' his way through an issue, maybe not exactly sure about stuff, but still has great insight. His books seem to almost be written in a minor key (so to speak), Disappointment with God is due for another read. Sometimes I kinda feel sorry for the guy when reading his books...just comes across, as you say, as genuine, not a know-it-all.

Gee, glad I'm not the only one that thinks this way

Sounds like my kind of guy - I've never read anything by him, will have to pick up one or two of his books.

So many books, so little time.

 

[MrJim]

Two more:

I just finished What Paul Meant by Garry Wills, and I highly recommend it.

I read one he wrote What Jesus Meant expecting a traditional RCC reading but came away from it a little leery~I checked with some folks in OBOB and he didn't come highly recommended from most.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

I read one he wrote What Jesus Meant expecting a traditional RCC reading but came away from it a little leery~I checked with some folks in OBOB and he didn't come highly recommended from most.

I'll look for that one. I'll read it and let you know what I think. But yes, he's definitely not a traditional Catholic.

 

[SumTinWong]

I read one he wrote What Jesus Meant expecting a traditional RCC reading but came away from it a little leery~I checked with some folks in OBOB and he didn't come highly recommended from most.

Because i believe he is a sessationist. I read the books he wrote about why he is STILL a Catholic in spite of herself (the church as a government) and it was a very good read. Of course OBOB would not agree with it, because he does not agree with them

 

[SumTinWong]

Sounds like my kind of guy - I've never read anything by him, will have to pick up one or two of his books.

So many books, so little time.

Try books on tape or CD. I do when i do not have the time to read them i listen to them on my way to work. I even borrowed a copy of the Bible read by the guy who did the voice of Tony the Tiger back in the day. Pretty cool.

The Bible experience is pretty cool with well known actors as well as the Word of Promise.

 

[Tonks]

On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius.

Should be required reading for all Christians regardless of flavor.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Yeah, I'd be one of those opposites~has to read Mere Christianity in a class at church some years ago, thought it was pretty good, but never read anything else by him except The Screwtape Letters...might be time to revisit?

Absolutely! And The Great Divorce would be a great place to start.

Mary

 

[karen freeinchristman]

Great thread!
I agree with many of your choices so far. I do like NT Wright quite a bit.
Adrian Plass is always a good read -> less-heavy and often humorous for those times when we need it!