I read this book mostly while swinging in a hammock while my TBNH was at work and I was on a self-imposed vacation from substitute teaching. Biography was my first real introduction to what I felt was enjoyable non-fiction, and Brennan Manning's book was no exception. This book is such a quick read, but it is an excellent reminder that--no matter the circumstances--God loves every human being equally. I'm getting really excited to read one of Manning's other books, The Ragamuffin Gospel.
When this book was released, I had zero desire to read it. My previous experience with Christian fiction was mostly negative (case in point: the Left Behind series, which had me very confused and superimposing the series onto the Bible). My TBNH--who is one of the most critical readers I know--had read The Shack and suggested that I read it. It, quite honestly, transformed my faith entirely. The image of God at the centre of a mobile than at the top of a ladder is an image that I hold on to very tightly.
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. TolkienTolkien was my first legitimate exposure to literature written by a Christian that wasn't Christian literature. (Contrary to most people who grew up in a Christian home, I didn't read The Chronicles of Narnia until I was in my late teens.) Tolkien not only catered to my love of fantasy literature, but made clear distinctions between good and evil, and emphasized consequences for evil, or even irresponsible, choices. He gave me hope that being a Christian and being intelligent were not mutually exclusive. If you want to get me talking, Tolkien is the best topic of conversation.
The End of Religion - Bruxy CaveyI include this book, even though I haven't read the entire thing, because I attend The Meeting House, which Bruxy Cavey is a lead pastor of. Despite the fact that I love structure and rules, over time I've learned that following rules doesn't make you a Christian. Bruxy's biggest point? To live as followers of Jesus, the emphasis should be on a relationship (and the new covenant) rather than following a series of rules. Contrary to what many people believe, with a heart change you'll want to 'follow the rules'; rules first won't do you any good.
Sex God - Rob BellAbout halfway through my undergrad, I took a summer course about Christianity and culture. It had a 'choose your own adventure' final essay topic, so I decided to write about sex. Thus began my foray into controversial topics (no wonder I ended up marrying TBNH). Despite Bell's recent controversy, this book was a big, helpful deal for me. His writing style irked me a bit, but his ability to remind and clarify that sex isn't a dirty thing is a much-needed concept. This book sparked my curiosity (and now greater understanding) of human sexuality.
The Message - Eugene Peterson
Growing up, the only part of the Bible I found interesting was the book of Revelation. All that apocalypse stuff was super interesting to me, so I read it when I was supposed to be paying attention in church. When the complete Message translation was released (I was in high school), it blew my mind. For once, the biblical text didn't look like a totally different language to me. The Message introduced me to the practice of comparing translations, which has become and integral part of my Bible-reading process.
The Hole in Our Gospel - Richard StearnsIn the midst of what feels like a very tumultuous season of life, I decided to read this book as a part of an online book club. As it turns out, Richard Stearns' transition to president of World Vision involves the same emotions and thoughts that I am currently having. This book has been unbelievably reassuring, mostly regarding how God wants us to do things that aren't easy. Stearns provides a fairly exhaustive examination of global poverty, and how it doesn't make any sense based on the gospel to not do things.
I imagine that C.S. Lewis would fall into many top ten book lists, especially when it involves faith. As I mentioned earlier, I read The Chronicles of Narnia after I read The Lord of the Rings, and I really loved the super obvious allegory of the stories. I learned to understand the crucifixion a lot better because I compared the image of Aslan to that of Christ in The Passion of the Christ from the early 2000s. Great theological points aside, I really do love fantasy (and always have), so Lewis' series was a great treat for me.
Irresistible Revolution - Shane ClaiborneI read this book last summer along with a group of other friends for a quasi-book club, and was totally delighted with Claiborne's way of thinking and living his life. The book certainly isn't a challenging read, but the actions that Claiborne asks the reader to put into practice are a serious challenge to say the very least. I was first interested in Shane Claiborne because I read the letter he wrote to non-believers that was published in Esquire magazine. Read it if you have the chance. The man really gets it.
* Red Letter Christians - Tony CampoloDespite the fact that I have yet to read Red Letter Christians, I'm still counting it as one of my top faith-changing books based on hearing Tony Campolo speak at various events, and on a recent conversation with him. He is one of the few Christian figures who isn't afraid to address the issues surrounding faith and politics, and does it in the most Jesus-centered way. Get this man talking about church and state, and he will yell for hours. It is wonderful.
--- chRistie
PS: Books listed = in no particular order (not even alphabetical).
