Apart from the Bible, what five books do you think every Christian should read? Here’s my list -

* Essential Truths (RC Sproul)
* Knowing God (JI Packer)
* The Cross of Christ (John Stott)
* Don’t Waste Your Life (John Piper)
* Mere Christianity (CS Lewis)

What’s your list? Don’t worry if there is overlap…

Hi Craig
I would add
The Race Set Before Us by Ardel Caneday and Thomas Schreiner
Why I am a Christian by John Stott
Through the Bible, through the year by John Stott
and
Desiring God by John Piper

The first book would be hard going for some, but I think it is worth it. It gives a first class presentation of the Bible’s teaching on assurance.

Stott’s daily devotional book is first class and gives an excellent overview of the Bible’s message, though it only actually gets you to read snippets. No substitute for reading the Bible itself.

Calvin’s Institutes Vols I and II.

Luther’s The Freedom of a Christian, which is a tract more than it’s a book, but kind of makes up for the fact that Calvin’s Institutes are a collection of books in 2 volumes. And, it’s really easy reading.

Knox’s Selected Works Vols 1, 2 and 3.

Is that 5?

Anyway, wouldn’t bother too much with Mere Christianity, so maybe not reading that one would make up for there being about 6 books on my list.

Anyway, wouldn’t bother to much with Mere Christianity, so maybe not reading that one would make up for there being about 6 books on my list.

I think it is more orthodox than you allow. I re-read it last year and was surprised at how much gospel was in there. Regardless, it’s been so influential over all sorts of Christian leaders, that it’s the sort of book I feel Christians should be familiar with.

Craig Schwarze - 01 May 2008 03:42 PM

I think it is more orthodox than you allow.

Hi,
I agree with your assessment of Mere Christianity, Craig;

And Lewis’s essay Fern-Seed and Elephants is the best culturally-engaged demolition of “Christian” liberalism that I have ever read.

That essay is found in the book of his essays of the same name.

Grace & peace,
Terry

Here is a link to the superb Lewis essay Fern-seed and Elephants on “Christian” liberalism.

When reading it you must remember he is speaking in the subtle English way and attempting to actually influence his audience of theological students rather than simply attack them or their teachers.

Nevertheless, by the end he has demolished the pretensions of the liberal scholars.

Grace & peace,
Terry

I didn’t comment on Lewis’s orthodoxy, even though he had inherent universalist tendencies (as seen in The Last Battle) and was an Anglo-Catholic neo-platonist (as seen in Pilgrim’s Regress, and in Mere Christianity, for example in his argument for the existence of God from the existence of the conscience), and in Fernseed and Elephants reveals that he doesn’t believe in the infallibility of Scripture. I would have been perfectly happy not to mention any of those things if you hadn’t brought them up! ;-)

His formulation of the Liar/Lord/Lunatic theory was one of the things that persuaded me to read the gospels and find out for myself. So I confess my debt to him!

Terry Gallagher - 01 May 2008 04:25 PM

Here is a link to the superb Lewis essay Fern-seed and Elephants on “Christian” liberalism.

Aha! This is what I mean (from the link):

Jesus (if I may use the word) doodling with his finger in the dust; the unforgettable nv vuz (13:30). I have been reading poems, romances, vision-literature, legends, myths all my life. I know what they are like. I know that not one of them is like this. Of this text there are only two possible views. Either this is reportage - though it may no doubt contain errors - pretty close up to the facts; nearly as close as Boswell.

[bold mine]

Excuse me? “Though it may no doubt contain errors?”

Not for this little black inerrantist, it doesn’t!

Hello one and all,

Just lurking around the place while having a brain-break and thought I would add my 5 book list:
1. Foundations of the Christian Faith - the late James Montgomery-Boice ( suprised this book has not been reviewed yet by anyone - it is absolutely a theological goldmine - reformed faith in plain language).
2. Calvin’s Instutes - Both volumes
3. Foxe’s book of Martyrs
4. Knox’s Volumes I & II (Have not read III yet)
5. The Work of the Pastor - William Still

kind regards
Joshua

Do you really think EVERY christian should read these books?

Good question - I think Calvin really is beyond a lot of people. Perhaps the abridged version by Lane.

Just read slowly! Move your lips if you have to!

A page of Calvin is worth a book of Yancey. And seriously, it is a *heap* easier than Mere Christianity, which seems to be on everybody’s list, dunno why.

Calvin Version 1.0 (there were 6) in 1536 was written for French peasants. I was about to say, illiterate French peasants, but I realized that wouldn’t make sense.

I just think people are put off by fat books. So like I said, read it a page at a time.

Hi John. I think every Christian should read the Bible, but I would guess a majority have only read a tiny proportion of it.

Easier than Calvin’s Institutes, i think.

Do you really think every christian CAN read Calvin?

John Sandeman - 01 May 2008 10:06 PM

Do you really think every christian CAN read Calvin?

They can have a go.

Easier than CS Lewis by a long shot, but I notice he doesn’t come under the microscope on this question.

Maybe if Calvin’s kid’s stories had been preserved we might have given him an easier run.

Gordon,
I am looking forward to being in heaven with people who can’t read Calvin. Jesus died for them. I don’t know why you overlook these people as Christians. I am sorry for you. There is great joy in knowing them.