Wonderful readings

A few of the well fingered books

This is not a reading list but the promotion of some of the books I have found rewarding.  They range from being delightfully accessible to deeply thoughtful.

God: The Science, The Evidence by Michel-Yvette and Olivier Bonnassies is an exciting and varied read.  The authors tackle the age-old conundrum of proving the existence of God.  Their effort is valiant but is hard to prove what is beyond our understanding.  Surprisingly, the work contains a brilliant analysis of the evolution of science and cosmology. Wonderfully uplifting are the stories and quotations of top scientists who glimpse God in their scientific quest.

Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ documents this top reporter's search for evidence across numerous areas. It is as exciting as a Dan Brown novel, although much more truthful. The breadth of his analysis is amazing. There is a danger, however; I started reading it on a long-haul flight where it caused me to miss movies and meals.

Most of C. S. Lewes’s inspiring autobiography, Surprised by Joy, is about him growing away from faith.  Kicking and screaming he fights against returning to Christ.  His resistance fails and becomes a prolific author on faith, and the faith inspired Narnia series of children’s books.

Karen Armstrong’s A History of God changed my life. She is a great and thoughtful writer whose thinking transcends faiths. This is not a quick read; I often must sit and think after each page.  If you like her, you will find lots of other great works to discover.  The Case for God is a good example. She has even written two autobiographies: Through the Narrow Gate and The Spiral Staircase.

Six Steps to the Bible Canon Peter Sills does not preach but gives hope through his gentle exposition of crushingly difficult issues in evolution of Christianity. His book is great but, better still, follow his journey online or attend one of his programmes.

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis has inspired Christians for centuries.  His portrayal of Jesus is as uplifting and vividly real as when composed in the 15^th Century. 

I put two beautiful books together: Anthony de Mello’s Song of the Birds and Desert Fathers and Mothers: Early Christian Wisdom Sayings, annotated by Christine Paintner. These sayings and brief stories are easy to read but penetrating. I love them.

Meditation and silence permeate all faiths. John Main’s revelations on Christian meditation emerged while he was a soldier in the Far East.  His Door to Silence open a route to faith that is the opposite to intellectual endeavor.

Rabbi Johnathan Sacks series Covenant & Contestation: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible are a revelation. They are a beautiful introduction into the faith that shaped Jesus and Christianity.  While on holiday, I gave a copy to one of the world’s leading economists, who is a devout Anglican. After an hour he exclaimed, “They makes me wish I was Jewish”. I understood.

Ajahn Sumedho’s The Four Noble Truths is a lovely little book that is free from the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.  Why a Buddhist in this Christian list? Well, you will find an amazing parallel between Christ and Budda’s teaching.  It conforms to the view often expressed by Karen Armstrong, that the monotheist religions align rather than appose.

Andrew Wilson-Dickson’s The Story of Christian Music is much more than it sounds. It is a wonderfully digestible book, with lots of illustration, that relates music to changing religious practices.  I was shattered to find it does not have an accompanying box set, or even a playlist. I overcame that problem by contriving three playlists on Amazon Music. They will be the subject of a future blog.