Christian book recs?

[primsong]

As a part of rebuilding and giving my church library a new life, I would love to have a short list of really good books to add gradually over the remainder of this year, though I haven't any budget I'm always an optimist. ;-)

While I have some favorites myself, what I really want is *other* people's favorites (fiction or non-fiction).  SO - My dear flisters who are *also* either Christian or have encountered an exceptional title that had a Christian message or focus, go ahead and let me know what they may be -  especially if they are newer works as the last time we really had nice, new titles added was over a decade ago, though timeless classics are also boffo as they never get out of date.  We're non-denominational and I keep a variety of doctrinal views available.

Rec, rec away!

Comments

[tree_and_leaf]

Timothy Radcliffe's "Why go to Church?" is excellent, very readable and with a certain amount of humour. Rowan Williams' shorter books are very good, particularly the two about icons ("The Dwelling of the Light" and "Ponder these things"), and "Tokens of Trust", which is a series of talks on the creed, very well written and accessible to people who don't know much of the technical language of theology. It also has some very attractive watercolour pictures.

And Simon Barrington-Ward's The Jesus Prayer is an absolute gem (it's a bit older, but it was reissued recently).

John Pritchard's "How to Pray" is also worth a look, it's quite helpful for people who are struggling with private prayer and don't know what to do, or who are feeling they've got into a bit of a rut and need some ideas to help them get out of it.

[primsong]

Oooo - that Tokens of Trust one looks especially scrumptious, and I love how grounded it is in the basics, something I'm always wanting more of. These are great - thank you!

[tree_and_leaf]

Happy to help :)

[linaewen]

A book that springs to mind immediately is "I Dared To Call Him Father" by Bilquis Sheikh. It's not a new title but I'd consider it classic.

"Tolkien's Ordinary Virtues: Exploring the Spiritual Theemes of The Lord of the Rings" by Mark Eddy Smith (IVP) is really good, too -- as well as being fun because it's related to LotR! :-D

[primsong]

I have a copy of the Tolkien one here at home - hmm, may go ahead and add it to the library over there. ;-)

I'm not familiar with Sheikh, will have to look him up!

*edited to add, having looked up Bilquis Sheikh, I'm going WOW, why haven't I heard of this? I want a copy!*

[linaewen]

Yes, it's quite good. She's an amazing person. I met her once at a conference in Pakistan!

[jhumor]

Personal Favs:

Anything by:
Henri J. M. Nouwen: http://www.henrinouwen.org/Books/Bibliography/Bibliography.aspx
Anthony De Mello: http://www.demello.org/store.html

That's a lot right there, so I'll let others contribute now :P

[primsong]

Interesting - I'm not familiar with DeMello, but I think we have a Nouwen title... perhaps "the Wounded Healer", it looks familiar - will have to give these a looksee, thank you!

[jhumor]

DeMello isn't super well known outside of Catholic Circles and he's questioned within Catholic Circles. He has this amazing ability to combine Zen and Hindu thoughts/methods/ideas into Christian understanding.

But, I've read a lot of his works as part of my Master's Degree and he's challenging because of the two 'worlds' he marries. You wouldn't think they should be married, yet as I've studied more about Hinduism and Zen meditation, yeah, he marries them :D

[kerravonsen]

Oh, that reminds me of "Christ the Eternal Tao" by Hieromonk Damascene, which points out the commonalities between "The Way" of Taoism and "The Word" of the Gospels. Really interesting stuff.

[jhumor]

OOO that's a good one too :) I only read excerpts, it's on my "to do" list, though :D

[kerravonsen]

"What's so Amazing about Grace?" by Philip Yancey.

[primsong]

Ooh, I remember that one - good pick... not sure if we have a copy in this library or not, but if we don't I'll have to add it. Yancey is excellent.

[jhumor]

Oh that reminds me of another one (Forgive my overly Catholic influence, I got my MA at a Catholic Uni.):
A New Look at Prayer
A New Look at Grace (Both by Bill Huebsch)

[florentinescot]

Just wandering by as I said ....

Do you know Max Lucado?

I have to admit a particular fondness for Lloyd C. Douglas -- I need to read "The Robe" again. I like Peretti too.

non-fiction? "The Meaning of the Millenium" -- I like eschatology -- and that's the very best at explaining the diffrerences.

Dunno if you'd put them in a church library or not, if you like fantasy, The Deryni novels by Katherine Kurtz are very different in that The Church (modified Anglican, I think -- no Pope; series takes place in Medieval Wales where magic works) plays a very prominent part in the lives of the people.

[primsong]

Well, I don't know Max *personally* but I sure have a lot of his books, lol...
:-)
He seems to be a standard fixture in any church library, like having parsley in the cupboard of the kitchen. And you know, I don't think I have The Robe... I keep mentally mixing this collection up with the one I used to manage at another church, but I'm pretty sure. Would be a good addition!

Hm! Haven't read "The Meaning of the Millinium" or the Deryni novels but will go look them up now. I find some of the concepts folks come up with for eschatology interesting too. Thanks!

[florentinescot]

"The Meaning of the Millennium" is a "debate" for lack of a better desccription. You've got the 4 views (amillennial, premillennial, dispensational, and postmillennial) -- and each theologian presents their view -- which is then rebutted by the other 3.

[primsong]

Cool! I love it when more than one view is presented, it makes the reader have to do some thinking for themselves, something I like to encourage in my congregation.

I'd like to get a few more basic theologians in there too but I think the big fat tomes intimidate - I wonder if there's a good "Best of John Calvin, etc." type series out there.

[florentinescot]

And it's well cited -- they don't just present their arguments, but they present their arguments and then cite the appropriate Scripture that they feel supports their arguments.

I can see it now .... a whole new Dummies line of books .....

I'm sure that there are "survey" books out there -- I know that there are some for Charles Spurgeon, surely there are for other folks as well!