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Friday, February 29, 2008

Recommended Reading
By webmaster @ 10:13 AM :: 341 Views :: 1 Comments :: Rev. David Lewicki

Thursdays are my day off. Up until my son was born last July (at which point Thursdays became "Dad's Day"), I enjoyed Thursdays primarily because that was my day for reading. I would take a book to a coffee shop in my neighborhood around 10 AM, order a cup of strong black coffee and a muffin, and immediately turn into the coffee shop owner's worst nightmare: the lingerer.

I lingered for 3 hours or more. Reading. Writing in my journal. Drinking in the freedom of time in which I did nothing but engage new ideas through books or magazines.

"Dad's Day" doesn't leave me quite so much room for reading, but I do persevere in finding time to read. It is probably the single most important part of my ministry. It is time when my brain synthesizes information... when random events or conversations—even those unrelated to what I'm reading at the time—come back to me and crystallize in my mind and fix in my memory. I love to read and I hope you do, too.

Over the last few days, I've been asked several times to recommend a specific kind of book. People have been asking for the BEST INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIANITY that I know.

I've scratched my head over this one. Fact is, there is no "best book" on Christianity. Every writer writes with an agenda; s/he writes to answer certain questions. And the kinds of questions that Christianity addresses (what is the meaning of life, what is the source of hope, how do I deal with pain or death, what is "good," what is "true") are very different. I could recommend one book to you, but if that author isn't answering the questions you're asking, you'll leave more frustrated than when you started.

So what should a "beginning" Christian read?

A few suggestions:

"Simply Christian," by N.T. Wright, is a lovely and intelligent book by an Anglican bishop who is neither too conservative nor too liberal.

"Jesus Christ for Today's World" by Jurgen Moltmann is a short book by one of the world's greatest living theologians, written for regular Joes and Janes.

"Travelling Mercies" by Anne Lamott is a spiritual autobiography about redemption and faith told with humility and great humor.

"Confessions" by Leo Tolstoy (yes, THAT Tolstoy) is a remarkable short book in that it both critiques and embraces Christianity in a single breath.

"Strength to Love" by Martin Luther King is a collection of his sermons--not the ones you've heard before, which give you a sense of the deep Christian faith that inspired social action.

"Christian Doctrine" by Shirley Guthrie is the most straight-forward explanation of Christian dogmatic teaching that I've ever encountered; it's highly readable.

Perhaps you have your own recommendations?

What book would you give to a friend who wanted to know what Christianity is about? Leave your responses here. I'll see if we can get the top 10 responses posted on the Marble website!

Comments

By Bflood27 @ Friday, February 29, 2008 7:42 PM

One of the most amazing books I have ever read regarding Christianity is by Madeleine l'engle. It is intitled, "Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art". She wrote the ever popular, "A Wrinkle in Time Series". It is a beauitful reflection on how the power of God is expressed in the physical act of creating something. It has blessed my life in many ways. I wish everyone would read this life changing journal.

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