25 Transformative Books

In my most recent post, I noted the new book by Renovare, “25 Books Every Christian Should Read” and asked people what book they have read that has been the most transformative in their Christian journey.

I have learned several things from this exercise. First, people have a hard time narrowing down to one book. I got an email from one voracious reader who said he simply could not choose. Likewise, I received emails from many with the names of multiple books.

Second, and most obviously, the list from Renovare and the list I have received are dramatically different. Five books do appear on both lists (Athanasius’ Incarnation, Rule of St Benedict, Pilgrim’s Progress, Return of the Prodigal Son, and Mere Christianity). As is probably expected, the books I received are much more modern than historical. The only book that got multiple mentions is “The Shack”. The only author mentioned multiple times is Henri Nouwen.

Third, and perhaps most interesting, are the number of novels and books of philosophy and psychology. Many of these authors would not necessarily be described as “Christian” and yet their work has been transformative in Christian thought.

Fourth, almost half the books on this list begin with the word "The". If you want to write a book that transforms Christians' lives, begin with a definite article.

Without further delay, below is the list I have received (in alphabetical order). Since I did not ask people if I could publish their names, I won’t. Roughly half of the inputs received came from clergy, from a wide range of denominations

1. A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards

2. Abraham's Curse by Bruce Chilton

3. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

4. Father Melancholy's Daughter by Gail Godwin

5. Gracias by Henri Nouwen

6. Jesus of the Disinherited by Howard Thurman

7. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

8. Oasis of Wisdom: The Worlds of the Desert Fathers and Mothers
by David G. R. Keller

9. On the Incarnation by St Athansius

10. Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

11. Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen

12. Sex, Ecology, Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution by Ken Wilber

13. Testimony: Talking Ourselves into Being Christians by Thomas G. Long

14. The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son by Jon Levenson

15. The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith

16. The Good Book by Rev. Peter Gomes

17. The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality by Ronald Rolheiser

18. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

19. The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes

20. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning

21. The Rule of St. Benedict by St Benedict

22. The Shack by William P. Young (mentioned three times)

23. The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen

24. When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd

25. Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault

If you did not submit a book, feel free to make a constructive comment in the comment box below.

25 Books

Renovare has recently come out with a book that has an interesting title, "25 Books Every Christian Should Read." I am a sucker for this kind of stuff on a number of levels: I love history, I love lists, I am a Christian, and I love reading. So, my gut reaction to this was to think how doable it would be to read and blog on 25 Books in 2012.

Then I began to think more about this list. Did I really want to spend my time slogging through Dante and Dostoevsky? Do books like those have anything to do with the ministry I will be engaged in during 2012?

One reaction to this list would be to make my own. If you surf around the net, there are plenty of places where this is happening. Here is a link to someone making their own list on a napkin. However, to make a list of books I have already read and been formed by seems unchallenging.

Instead, I want to find out what books you have read that have been transformational in your Christian journey? What single title has changed the way you understand God, yourself, or others? Post your response below or send me an email. I will compile the list and read and blog on the top responses.

Let the debate begin!

God the Son: God as Reconciler

Throughout human history, people have sought to understand who God is and what our relationship is with the Creator.

Many times this wondering has led to an understanding of a God who is distant and vengeful. In some ancient religions, humans are even understood as slaves to the gods.

One of the truly distinctive teachings of Christianity is the concept that Jesus is the Reconciler. The one who reconciles humanity and God. In describing this act of reconciliation that follows the first act of creation, Barth writes, “He accomplishes, as it were, a second divine act… a second act which for all its newness and inconceivability is related to the first. God reconciles us to Himself, comes to us, speaks with us…” [413]

How amazing to know that the God who created all that is comes to us and speaks with us in order to reconcile a fallen humanity with an amazing Trinity.

God the Father: The Eternal Father

Referring to God, the first person of the Trinity, as “Father” is one of the most common ways God is addressed.

However, Barth’s understanding of “Father” comes from a different place than is commonly practiced. Most times, people seek to understand God from their human experience. Thus, because we know what a human father is, we think that tells us something about who thee “Father” is. Barth never seeks to understand God starting with human experience. Instead, when Barth seeks to understand God, he does so starting with God.

Barth quotes Athanasius, who wrote, “For God is not patterned after human beings, but rather, human beings are named fathers of their own children after God, who is preeminently and alone truly the Father of his own Son.” [393]

For Barth, the word “Father” is not a mere title. It is not a way that we understand who God is from our experience. Instead, God is truly Father.

If God is truly Father, how might that broaden our understanding of God? If Father is more than a title, much more than a metaphor, if God IS Father what does that tell us about who God is?

God the Father: God as Creator

When Karl Barth writes of God the Father as Creator, he does not understand creation as only a singular event in a distant past when stars were set in motion. Rather, creation, and God’s will, are most fully understood in terms of resurrection. Barth writes, “Resurrection is indeed the power of the cross and the gaining of life the power of the losing of life.” [388]

Today marks the first anniversary of the passing of Robert Hudgins, my father-in-law. Today is a sad day as we dearly miss this great man. No one can replace him.

But I am left to wonder if while we experience loss, if what Bobby has experienced is the fullness of God as Creator.

Barth goes on to explain, “He [God the Father] wills the transition of our life through death to eternal life. His kingdom is new birth.”

Today we walk through the darkness of the valley of the shadow of death, not realizing that where that valley leads us is to the fullness of creation, the "new birth".

Triunity: Thoughts on the trinity at 3am

In the 1990s it was popular to ask the question, What Would Jesus Do? It seemed that everywhere one looked WWJD was stamped on t-shirts, bumper stickers, and key chains. Last night, I read a new variation of the question on twitter, What Would Jesus Tweet?

This is not necessarily a bad question. It is better than basing one’s life decisions on filing in the name of a popular celebrity or athlete: WW_D (what would fill in the blank do).

However, as I am contemplating the meaning of the trinity at three in the morning, and reading some Barth, I think the WWJD question illustrates how we have not held on to the triunity of God. We tend to tear the trinity apart. In our limited understanding, God the Father seems more distant and even has a reputation for being judgmental. God the Holy Spirit, even in the church’s own liturgy, is under-defined. Jesus often seems to be the only accessible one in the three.

Yet, Barth’s challenge is to hold on to the unity of God: “We must say that all God’s work, as we are to grasp it on the basis of His revelation, is one act which occurs simultaneously and in concert in all His three modes of being.” [375]

So, perhaps a better question would be, WWTD?

Back in Barth: Unity in the Trinity

I apologize for my nearly month-long absence from this blog. After finishing the first book of “Church Dogmatics” I paused to read some other texts. One book I read, which I highly recommend, is Rabbi Harold S. Kushner’s, “Overcoming Life’s Disappointments.” I strongly suggest the book, you will not be disappointed.

Today, I return to the journey with Barth. This second book takes on the unfathomable subject of, “The Revelation of God, The Triune God.” Trying to understand the trinity by reading Barth is somewhat like trying to understand the complexity of the universe through the dense writings of Stephen Hawking. Although the task is not easy, most good things in life are difficult, so the journey continues.

One of the first points that Barth makes is the importance of the unity of the Trinity. Barth emphasizes that one must consider the trinity as one in name, one in essence, and one in divine being. He writes, “The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. And yet, they are not three gods but God in one. In the same way, the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord; and yet there are not three lords, but the Lord is one.”

While the concept of unity in the trinity seems obvious, it is quite challenging. To this day, we give the three persons of the trinity distinctive names and tend to assign to them different roles, personalities, and characteristics. Barth strongly warns against this and challenges the reader to hold together the unity of God.

While I completely agree with Barth’s concept of unity in the trinity, it is thought-provoking to consider how we speak of God in ways that dangerously divide or carefully hold together unity in the trinity.