Book Recommendations / Resources

BrianCalgary

I have just finished reading a wondeful book called "The Five Love Languages". It was a real eye opener that has enhanced our 20 year marriage. Didn't think it could get any better.

Post your reviews and titles here.

Just a warning, it is for Christian based books ONLY. If you wish to post a book by Anton Levay or Shirley McLaine, the post will be punted.

Back to the Love Languages. The author tells us that there are five love languages; quality time, touch, words of affirmation, gifts and acts of service. You may be a person who requires lots of touching, so you tell your wife you love her by touching her lots, meanwhile she need words of affirmation and you never tell her ho wwonderful she is.

The book helps you determine your love language and that of your spouse and even your kids, this way you can express that love in terms that the receiver of your love can understand.

Added 18/11/11
To conform with sitewide restrictions on the number of stickies a forum may display, the Christian Resources and Book Recommendations have been merged.

Please note that this is for Christian books and resources only. Posters trying to inflame by posting anti-Christian works etc will be infracted or banned.
PDN

maitri

Good idea for a thread, Brian!

"The Five Love Languages" seems like an interesting book. Maybe I'll have a look at it one of these days.

Christian books that have made an impression on me are:

Awareness by the Jesuit priest Anthony de Mello. I remember it was very helpful for me in a difficult time of my life. I don't necessarely agree with absolutely everything de Mello writes, but I still find it very interesting.

Another good book is Dead Man Walking by sister Helen Prejean. It's not a very new book either, and most of you have probably seen the movie. But I think the book is much better than the movie was. For me, in many ways, this was an eye-opener.

Mrs. MacGyver

The Confessions - By St. Augustine, an amazing life changing book. Lovely use of imagery. Studied it in college but re-read it recently for enjyment and liked it.

turbot

The Widows Son, by Robert Anton Wilson

Any christian will be glad they read this, especially if they are of Irish decent.

T-1111111111111

The Bible the Qur'an and Science by Maurice Bucaille.

Incredible book. Simple language, clear statements - interesting reading.

I think there is an e-version of this book.

MeditationMom

Hi Everybody -
Brian, this is a great idea for a thread and I liked how you started it by not just giving us a title but a summary of the main ideas of your book. I'd love to hear a little more on this book and the other's mentioned. Some of them I am sure I'll buy and make time to read, but I am sure there will be far more suggestions than we all will find time to actually read. Therefore the summaries could be really fun to read.
The book you mentioned about love languages sounds very wise. Not just important to figure out with your spouse, but also with your children. As long as we also appreciate it when people love us their way instead of our way

While we're on Love. One of the books I love is called "Love Is To Be Happy With" by Barry Kaufman. He says that as babies we cry when we are unhappy, physically, and Mom comes and makes everything better. As adults we make the mistake of making ourselves unhappy, mentally, in order to have things change, which doesn't work. If we can learn and experience being in the present, without this unneccessary unhappiness, we can see clearly and solve our problems. The reason people find this so difficult in the beginning - as for example, when a child is sick - is because they have an assumption deep down that if they aren't unhappy about "it", it means that they don't care. Once they realize and experience that the two - being unhappy and caring - have nothing to do with each other, it all becomes clear.

He reversed his own son's autism by sitting with him for hours each day just being happy, playing and copying the son's movements, sounds, facial expressions etc, insted of being upset and trying to fix him. (His book about that is called "Son Rise".) He was then able to teach this to other parents and has helped many families. I have used this attitude for thirty years and it never disappoints, since mostly it is utmost attention in the present without "wanting" anything. "Love Is To Be Happy With"

maitri

Hi!

MeditationMom wrote:

Hi Everybody -
(...)I'd love to hear a little more on this book and the other's mentioned.

If you click on the links you’ll be able to search inside the book to see if it’s something you'd like to by or borrow at the library, and if you scroll down there are several book reviews.

Here are some of the reviews about Awareness

By "kaioatey":

"This is a sweet and funny and profound book which warmed up my heart and consistently made me laugh. De Mello was a universally respected Jesuit priest who managed to go far beyond the orthodox catholic dogma and into the very heart of spiritual alivennes and connectedness. Several centuries earlier a similar attempt was made by Loyola, another Jesuit troublemaker; however, in A., DeMello dispenses with the extraneous mumbo jumbo and goes straight to the heart of the matter. God is presence itself and through awareness we are simultaneously connected to who we truly are and to the sacredness of all life. De Mello reminds us time and again of this simple yet profound truth; i especially admire his skilfull use of anecdote and parable, which reminds me of another great spiritual teacher.."

"A reader" says:

"This book pulled me out of a state of contant anxiety and depression. After reading it, I find myself looking at the world, to borrow de Mello's metaphor, as a beautiful symphony. My life has become a constant joy. While I have read books on mindfulness and also books by Jiddu Krishnamurti, none have had the impact that this book has had on me.
One of the reasons that I believe that this book was had such an impact is that it addressed a point in my life where I had become disillusioned and doubful of the ideas of the afterlife and a personal God as taught in Christianity. If this is you, this book is definitely for you. However, if you are a person who is happy and content in your ideas in a personal God, and you're certain of a personal afterlife, I'd actually discourage you from reading this book. It will likely only upset you."

(Personally I didn't have any problems with both finding the book helpful and at the same time keeping my belief in a personal God at the time I read it the first time. As I see it, de Mello doesn't say that "God is personal" or "God is not personal", he just say that God is beyond our concepts and that clinging to concepts about God might be a problem. M.)

About Dead Man Walking, review by Michael K. McKeon:

" While the manner in which the story is presented is quite readable and engaging, the strength of this work is in the important and poignant experiences and issues the author presents. Reading this book one is struck by the incredible depth and character of the author. She is clearly a person of profound integrity and compassion, yet does not convey the impression of being judgemental nor saccarine.

Prejean confronted the issue of capital punishment by embracing the situations of two of the least sympathetic situations perhaps possible: the men executed had committed heinous, unforgiveable crimes, ones that are alone horrifying to read about. However, in an incredibly objective fashion the author presents their atrocities in the context of the circumstances of these mens' lives which, while it does not in any way mitigate their crimes, does make their predilection for commiting them perhaps more comprehensible.

Besides the fortitude Prejean demonstrated while supporting these men through their executions, including witnessing them, one is moved by her character in embracing the need to engage in dialog with the relatives of the victims of these mens' crimes. She shows incredible compassion in presenting their circumstances and suffering as well. While opposed to capital punishment Prejean fairly represents the perspective of those demanding vengance. The author also, in a very subtle fashion presents how the criminal justice system is cynically manipulated for political purposes, and the immense economic cost involved in executing prisoners."

I hope this helps!:)

Barnabas

I am presently reading a book called "The Spirit of the Liturgy" by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Now Pope Benedict XVI).
It is very thought provoking - very rich in biblical references and explanations (particularly the first few chapters which deal with Israel's exodus from Egypt), gives a great historical panorama of the development of Christian worship and I am getting alot out of it. It does require a careful reading but it is well worth the effort. For those non-Catholics I would say don't be afraid to read it because it was written by a man who is now Pope. It is first and foremost a very edifying Christian book about worship- but with a primarily, though not exclusively Catholic perspective. The chapter on music is particularly interesting - though one might need to know a little ancient greek philosophy to get the most out of what he is saying.

Another great book to read is C.S. Lewis' "The Four Great Loves". I highly recommend it. He has some wonderful insights especially with regard to the topic of friendships.

kelly1

Hello, I highly reccommed St. Faustina's diary. It's an amazing book which teaches you a lot about the mercy of God, redemptive suffering and the ugliness of sin.

Regards,
Noel.

Barnabas

'Heaven - the Hearts Deepest Longing' by Peter Kreeft is a book well worth reading. His approach is both scriptural and philosophical and he also makes a good critique of a post-Christian longing for heaven that seeks (in vain) fulfilment here and now. He shows that the human heart is restless, whether it belongs to a Christian, a Muslim, a Hindu or an Atheist - it longs for something more than what it can ever have here. It's quite a thought-provoking read and one can see that he draws alot form the writings of others - especially the great C.S. Lewis, whom he quotes copiously. A book to be savoured by anyone (believer and skeptic alike) who is in any way entrigued by the meaning of life and the longing of the heart for another country where things passing and transigent are over and there are no more goodbyes.

gosimeon

A Case for Christ

http://www.ucb2go.co.uk/?action=fiche&id=694&t=the_case_for_christ

I got it off UCB2GO.CO.UK.

Fairly into it now, a good read and offers extra insight into the reasons why Jesus is the one...

I would recommend it to believers and skeptics alike.

.:Who:.

Mrs. MacGyver wrote:

The Confessions - By St. Augustine, an amazing life changing book. Lovely use of imagery. Studied it in college but re-read it recently for enjyment and liked it.

Have to agree, this is a really good book. I read it for college as part of my course but it really is a surprising read.

PDN

Post-Christendom by Stuart Murray.

Murray is an anabaptist who traces the corruption of Christianity into Christendom under the Emperor Constantine and his successors, both political and ecclesiastical.

He also traces how small groups of Christian believers have tried to remain faithful despite persecution throughout the centuries.

I didn't agree with all of Murray's conclusions, but I agree with him that the decline of Christendom is not necessarily a bad thing.

Splendour

Just finished reading 'The Land of Many Names' by Steve Maltz.
It's a fantastic insight into the midle east conflict; where it all started and more importantly, where it's going.

This book explains the plight of the Jews from their origins right up to present day.There are many quotes from the prophetic books of the bible which, given the history of the Jews, are absolutely undeniable.

It's an easy read too, so doesn't wreck the brain cells!!

PDN

Another book I've been reading is The Last Moghul by William Dalrymple.

It's not actually a Christian book, so Brian, feel free to delete this post if I'm straying outside the limits of the thread. But history is a passion of mine, and this book describes the great mutiny of the sepoys in India when they believed that they were being forced to bite the end off cartridges that were greased with pork & beef fat (an urban legend, but one that managed to get Hindus and Muslims equally incensed).

The Moghul, the last of a long-line of rulers that had once ruled India, was a moderate Sufi Muslim and basically a puppet king controlled by the British, but he became the focal point for a rebellion that turfed the British temporarily out of Delhi.

I found the book interesting due to its treatment of the Anglican chaplain to Delhi (a key figure in pre-mutiny tensions), whom the author disapprovingly accuses of prosletysing. The chaplain, his daughter, and his Indian converts all got killed in the mutiny.

hairyheretic

PDN wrote:

Post-Christendom by Stuart Murray.
I didn't agree with all of Murray's conclusions, but I agree with him that the decline of Christendom is not necessarily a bad thing.

Thats an interesting perspective to hear here. Would you mind expanding on it? Probably better to do it in a separate thread though.

Fanny Cradock

Can anyone recommend a book that is a step-by-step guide through the Bible? One that explains specific passages. I'm tackling the OT and at the moment, and I'm coming out of it with more questions than answers.

tasky

Fanny Cradock wrote:

Can anyone recommend a book that is a step-by-step guide through the Bible? One that explains specific passages. I'm tackling the OT and at the moment, and I'm coming out of it with more questions than answers.

try this..

for old testament.. http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pp/pp.asp
http://www.whiteestate.org/books/pk/pk.asp

new testament.. http://www.whiteestate.org/books/aa/aa.asp
http://www.whiteestate.org/books/mb/mb.asp

knowing Christ.. http://www.whiteestate.org/books/da/da.asp
http://www.whiteestate.org/books/col/col.asp
http://www.whiteestate.org/books/sc/sc.asp


health concern.. http://www.whiteestate.org/books/mh/mh.asp

prophecy
http://www.whiteestate.org/books/gc/gc.asp

kelly1

Fanny Cradock wrote:

Can anyone recommend a book that is a step-by-step guide through the Bible? One that explains specific passages. I'm tackling the OT and at the moment, and I'm coming out of it with more questions than answers.

Hello Fanny, you might find Scott Hahn's online course useful. It's at http://www.salvationhistory.com/online/coursesofstudy.cfm

God bless,
Noel.

PDN

Fanny Cradock wrote:

Can anyone recommend a book that is a step-by-step guide through the Bible? One that explains specific passages. I'm tackling the OT and at the moment, and I'm coming out of it with more questions than answers.

I would recommend getting a good Bible commentary. One volume commentaries that cover the whole Bible tend to be good on certain books but not on others, so it's usually better to get a commentary for each book that you're reading. Of course that is more expensive since it will take 39 books to study the OT in that way.

I find the little paperback commentaries published by IVP are fairly inexpensive and combine good scholarship with readability. They take a generally conservative approach to Scripture but without pushing any one denominational line.

PDN

I've just finished reading A Concise History of the Crusades by Thomas Madden. The guy is a top notch medieval historian & does a great job of explaining the complex motivation behind the Crusades. He also explodes a lot of the modern myths about the Crusades that present them as exceptionally bloodthirsty & pointless.

PDN

Just finished Light Force by Brother Andrew (the God's Smuggler guy).

In this book Brother Andrew shares how he has ministered and witnessed over the years in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon & Palestine. He spent time with, and presented Bibles to Yasser Arafat & the leadership of Hizbollah and Hamas. On one occasion he was invited to preach to a specially convened meeting of over 400 Hamas leaders.

This book apparently caused some controversy in evangelical circles because it is fairly critical of how Israeli policies have had a negative impact upon Lebanese and Palestinians (including the Christians in those communities).

McGinty

I'm tackling the OT and at the moment, and I'm coming out of it with more questions than answers.

Hi Fanny personally to me that sounds like a good thing because it sounds like you are reading it on a deep level but onto some of my favourite christian books.

The first is one I am reading at present, it is called "What return can I make" by M. Scott Peck, it is specifically christian that combines hymns, art work and writing. It is very beautiful and although it is out of print you can get copies either through amazon or abebooks.co.uk or abebooks.com. I would recommend the tape that comes with it because the hymns are really joyful and uplighting. Each section discusses a single theme, be it faith, Jesus, conversion and so forth (I haven't finished it yet). A lot of Scott Peck's book have a strong religious theme so I would reccomend all of his books and the last one he wrote before he died dealt with the devil entitled "glimpses of the devil" and deals with exorcism, it may not be everyone's cup of tea but I enjoyed it.

"Awareness" by Antony de Mello, again a deeply profound book and one I read several times, I also have the CDs which is great to listen to. Another wonderful book is called "Finding Sanctuary" by Fr. Christopher Jameison, you can check his website on the internet, he is the abbot of Worth monastery and it was covered on the BBC. I listened to him in Oxford and the book is amazing offering spiritual exercises and again deals with various religious themes.

On the fictional front, Susan Howatch writes wonderful books based on characters within the church (they are predominately Church of England), I particularly love the St. Benet series - "a question of intergrity", "the high flyer" and "the heartbreaker".

I like a lot of medieval christian literature and two that come to mind are "The cloud of unknowing" that deals with the mystery of God and christian experience and the other is called "Dark night of the soul" that deals with dry patches one experiences in their spiritual life.

PDN

I've been on holiday this last week, so I've had some wonderful opportunities to enjoy some sunshine and read some books.

1. I Sold My Soul on eBay: Viewing Faith Through an Atheist's Eyes by Hemant Mehta. This guy, a key atheist leader in the US, auctioned himself on ebay to attend church for a year. A Christian researcher got him to visit numerous churches across the US (including some of the largest & most prominent) and to record his reactions (both good and bad). These have now been published by a Christian publishing house complete with a study guide written by a prominent pastor. Extremely thought provoking.

2. The Yellow Cross: The Story of the Last Cathars 1290-1329 by Rene Weis. This is a record of the last days of a sect deemed heretical by the Papacy, persecuted, and eventually stamped out. It draws on very detailed accounts of Cathar activity in the Languedoc as recorded in the statements witnesses made to the Inquisition.

3. The Age of Kali: Indian Travels and Encounters by William Dalrymple. Not a Christian book as such, but essential to anyone involved in missions work, as it graphically describes the effects of Hinduism, the caste system, and Islam, in India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka. In one very entertaining passage the author accompanies Imran Khan to a meeting with a Muslim mystic. The mystic speaks very accurately concerning Dalrymple and Khan and somewhat blows away the author's scepticism.

4. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity by Philip Jenkins. This excellent and insightful book traces the growth of Christianity in the Third World and shows how globally Christianity is becoming more influential. A very timely rejoinder to those western observers who think Christianity is declining. Jenkins examines the opportunities, and very real dangers, posed by the 20th Century transformation of Christianity into a predominantly African, Asian & Latino movement.

kelly1

Greetings,

I just finished an excellent book called "Fire Within" by Fr. Thomas Dubay. It discusses meditation/contemplation as taught by Ss. John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila in light of the Gospel. An excellent read for those who are drawn to a deeper relationship with Christ.

It discusses the universal call to holiness, the Teresian mansions (level of spirituality), conditions for spiritual growth, detachment, Dark Nights, spiritual direction etc.

Before that I read "The Spiritual Combat" by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli. It's a fantastic practical book that teaches how to avoid sin a increase in virtue. His writing is very clear and straight to the point. It's the kind of book you could read over and over. The chapters are short and you could read one every day.

God bless,
Noel.

PDN

I like to read books that challenge my existing views and ideas. One such book that I read this week was The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism and Success by Rodney Stark.

Stark is a religious sociologist and one of the foremost experts on cults and sects. In this book, however, he examines why economic & scientific development developed mostly hand-in-hand with Christianity and not elsewhere. He challenges Max Weber's assertion that the Reformation's protestant work ethic transformed the modern world, and instead says that Christianity produced a stream of steady and continuous scientific & economic innovation both before and after the Reformation.

He denies that the Roman Empire was any kind of golden age for culture & learning. Instead he argues that the Roman Empire was built on slavery and extracting wealth from conquered territories, and as such it stifled progress. He argues convincingly that the so-called 'Dark Ages' were actually periods of great development, powered primarily by the Church.

Stark writes in an combative way that will either entertain or infuriate you. Here is a sample of his style, taken from the book's Conclusion:

Christianity created Western Civilization. Had the followers of Jesus remained an obscure Jewish sect, most of you would not have learned to read and the rest of you would be reading from hand-copied scrolls. Without a theology committed to reason, progress, and moral equality, today the entire world would be about where non-European societies were in, say, 1800: A world with many astrologers and alchemists but no scientists. A world of despots, lacking universities, banks, factories, eyeglasses, chimneys and pianos. A world where most infants do not live to the age of five and many women die in childbirth - a world truly living in "dark ages."

The modern world arose only in Christian societies. Not in Islam. Not in Asia. Not in a "secular" society - there having been none.

PDN

Sacred Causes: Religion and Politics from the European Dictators to Al Qaeda by Michael Burleigh.

Burleigh is a historian who has previously specialised in the rise of the Third Reich. In this book he examines totalitarian regimes and their relationships to religion. I learned a lot of new information from this book, but found the author's fierce pro-Catholic bias a bit hard going at times. For example, in trying to exonerate Pius XII from the charge of collaborating with the Nazis he feels he has to belittle the activities of all other denominations and churches. In one notorious passage, for example, he refers to Martin Neimoller as being "incarcerated, none too onerously, in Sachsenhausen concentration camp".

Overall, however, a good read and useful for anyone who wants to understand the fundamentally anti-Christian nature of the 20th Century's repressive regimes.

PDN

I just finished another book by Philip Jenkins (author of The Next Christendom). This time it was The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South.

Jenkins, who has already highlighted the massive growth of Christianity in Africa, Asia and Latin America, examines how the Bible is understood and interpreted differently in the Global South. These cultures are frequently much closer than the West to the cultural setting of the original authors, and their understanding of Scripture is intriguing and, at times, disturbing.

Overall it appears as if Christianity, due to its epicentre moving South, is becoming more fundamentalist, literal and conservative. Yet this new Southern fundamentalism tends to be more open in other matters (eg ordaining of women seems to be more common in the Global South). A fascinating read and, possibly, a peep into the future of Christianity.

PDN

My latest read was actually recommended to me by one of our atheist posters on this board. From the Holy Mountain by William Dalrymple recounts how the author retraced the steps of John Moschos, the great Byzantine traveller-monk of the 6th Century.

It gives a fascinating insight into the history of forms of Christianity (Orthodox, Coptic etc) that we are usually not familiar with here in the West. It also describes how Christian communities are still surviving in the face of Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East.

I had already enjoyed Dalrymple's writing on India, but now I am impressed at the wide range of his knowledge and interests.

robindch

Sounds like my recommendation. I'm currently re-reading it here in sunny Kiev, as (a) it's a cracking good read and (b) it's got some good stuff on Armenia (at least the turkish side) which I'll be getting to shortly if I make it through Abkhazia and Georgia intact.

BTW, he makes a point I've implied (uselessly) many times on these forums:

William Dalrymple wrote:

In Edessa it seems that any belief or combination of beliefs was possible -- as long as it was inventive, unorthodox, deeply weird and extremely complicated. But what such a flourishing proliferation of different faiths highlights is the fact that it was only by a series of historical accidents -- or, if you like, the action of the Holy Spirit -- that the broad outlines of our own understanding of Christianity came to be seen as accepted and established, and that Manichean, Marcionite and Gnostic ideas came to be deemed heretical. After all, a theologian as intelligent as St Augustine of Hippo could spend several years as a champion of Manichesim before being won over to what we now regard as more acceptable beliefs. In the uncertain world of early Christianity it does not seem possible that the Manicees or the Gnostics could have won their day, so that on Sundays we would now read the Gospel of Philip (which emphasizes Jesus's lustily red-blooded attachment to Mary Magdalene) and applaud the Serpent of the Garden of Eden. Churches would be dedicated not to 'heretics' like St John Chrysostom but rather to Manichean godlings such as the Great Nous and the Primal Man; reincarnation would be accepted without a second thought, and Messalian mucus-exorcisms would take place every Sunday after evensong.

Worth thinking about, isn't it?

PDN

robindch wrote:

Sounds like my recommendation. I'm currently re-reading it here in sunny Kiev, as (a) it's a cracking good read and (b) it's got some good stuff on Armenia (at least the turkish side) which I'll be getting to shortly if I make it through Abkhazia and Georgia intact.

Yes, Robin, and thank you for your recommendation. It was much more helpful than some of your other posts.

When you get to Armenia see if you can visit the main monastery in Yerevan where they claim to have a piece of Noah's Ark. I'm sure JC would appreciate a photo. (It certainly looks a very old piece of wood - but beyond that, who knows?) The monks, I understand, also believe that the foundation stone of their monastery is the same rock on which Noah offered sacrifices after coming out of the Ark. If you get time then get out of Yerevan and up into the mountains. I once visited Sevan at this time of year and it was beautifully cool. You can go sailing on a mountain lake and they grow wonderful fruit which thrives at that altitude.

I will be passing through Kiev next month on my way to Donetsk. While you're in the Ukraine try the pelmeni (stuffed dumplings). They do them so much better than the Russians, and my mouth is watering just at the thought of a dish of pelmeni smothered in sour cream.

Worth thinking about, isn't it?

Yes, I often think about it. I agree wholeheartedly that it was only through the action of the Holy Spirit that God preserved his truth and guarded us from errors and heresy.

PDN

Aubrey Burl's God's Heretics: the Albigensian Crusade examines how the might of the Catholic Church and the mentality of the Crusades crushed the Cathar heresy in the Kingdom of Toulouse.

The Cathar's were a dualist sect who preached that the body was evil (therefore created by Jesus' elder brother, also known as Satan) and that the spiritual world was created by God. This rehash of Gnosticism practiced extreme ascetism and, as often happens in such movements, also degenerated into antinomianism and immorality.

It has been erroneously suggested in another thread that the Cathars were suppressed because they denied the resurrection, but that was not the main reason for the persecution. They denied Papal authority, the priesthood, transubstantiation and a whole host of other Catholic doctrines.

The book is shocking in its detailing of mutilations and executions (on both sides of the conflict). Such a world, and the mentality of those who lived in it, are difficult for us to understand today. Religious causes rapidly combined with political power plays to bring out the very worst in human nature.

david1two3

I read ,over a couple of weeks both of the recent(4-5 years old) biographies of George Orewell.One was excellent and the other dreadful.I dont think it was the style that got to me ,it didnt have any , the one I liked was fun, busy, unputdownable and gave a real impression of my hero, why he is isnt a worry as I dont go for heroes but in his case I make an exception. Saying these things I know well not to meet up with him as hes not well and likely to be cantankerous.I cant remenmber who wrote them , ploggies. I will admit that my connection with Orewell comes from knowing Norah Harkin and Charley aswell as Betty and Frank edwards.In 77 I met Peader Odonnell in Norahs house and found him something of an enigma. Edwards was in Spain in 37 and fought Franco. Norah for all her faults , none that Im aware of, is the finest human I have ever met, her kindness knows bounds but I never saw them. I remember seeing a A4 size drawing of a familiar face in that wonderful bookshop between Dame street and the river and realising it was Frank Edwards , a man I hadnt seen since I was a child .The luck I had to have had my ears roasted by their conversations as a two year old is something I will always treasure, I am very lucky in life even though others would see it as tragic. I see it as my path and if I didnt lead it I would not be here now.

When I entered the above post I didnt realise I was in the Christianity section. Its great because when I went on to mention Frank Edwards it tied in with this section quite well. It is common knowledge that the Catholic church sided with Franco in the Civil war, in fact its fact . Are you aware that after Frank returned from Spain the Catholic hierarchy blacklisted him from employment in schools under their control. He eventually gained employment in a/the Jewish school in Dublin.There is more to the story but these are the essentials . The church as far as I can see never learns from its mistakes as to my mind it very foundations are based on a mistake, namely that if you fool enough of the people most of the time everything will be cool. When as a thirteen year old I asked the arch bishop of Tuams representative,who was visiting BNS Athenry prior to the confirmation, if what he had just said was true , he replied that of course it was. He had just told us one of the biblical fairy tales , it was a very tall story and I was just making sure that he had thought that we should swallow it whole. My disbelief in his belief that we should believe it was translated a week later into several pints of beer in the Jersey bar ,only hours after making the Confirmation. I have always wondered what I would have ended up doing if he hadnt let slip that little gaffe that day in 1976. I wouldnt refer to myself as a non believer as I believe in many things and suspending belief so as to believe is a stretch and a half but as they say, there you go.

PDN

Just finished reading Surprising Insights from the Unchurched by Thom Rainer. This is really an expanded survey more than anything else. Rainer has interviewed large samples of those who were formerly unchurched (attended church fewer than 4 times a year) and now are members of churches.

He tries to determine what were the key attractional factors - and what were the biggest turn offs. Clean toilets turned out to be more important than the style of music used in church!

Interestingly, he also quotes a study by the Barna Research group from 1999 to the effect that 12% of atheists and agnostics in the US attend church on Easter Sunday.

JimiTime

PDN wrote: »

Just finished reading Surprising Insights from the Unchurched by Thom Rainer. This is really an expanded survey more than anything else. Rainer has interviewed large samples of those who were formerly unchurched (attended church fewer than 4 times a year) and now are members of churches.

He tries to determine what were the key attractional factors - and what were the biggest turn offs. Clean toilets turned out to be more important than the style of music used in church!

Interestingly, he also quotes a study by the Barna Research group from 1999 to the effect that 12% of atheists and agnostics in the US attend church on Easter Sunday.

:eek:PDN, you seem to chomp through books like i do through Dairy Milks.

keano_afc

BrianCalgary wrote: »

I have just finished reading a wondeful book called "The Five Love Languages". It was a real eye opener that has enhanced our 20 year marriage. Didn't think it could get any better.

Post your reviews and titles here.

Just a warning, it is for Christian based books ONLY. If you wish to post a book by Anton Levay or Shirley McLaine, the post will be punted.

Back to the Love Languages. The author tells us that there are five love languages; quality time, touch, words of affirmation, gifts and acts of service. You may be a person who requires lots of touching, so you tell your wife you love her by touching her lots, meanwhile she need words of affirmation and you never tell her ho wwonderful she is.

The book helps you determine your love language and that of your spouse and even your kids, this way you can express that love in terms that the receiver of your love can understand.

Just finished this myself, found it very helpful. Can highly recommend it.

kelly1

Has anyone read St. Faustinas Diary? Apart from the bible it the one book that's had the biggest impact on me. I read it a few years back but it's just incredible. An absolute must read for the stuborn sinner who believes he's beyond God's mercy.

SubjectSean

The Birth of the Christian Religion by Alfred Loisy is quite excellent you can get it for free at http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/loisy/

graceface

Sex.God by Robert Bell and
Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith by Robert Bell

PDN

graceface wrote: »

Sex.God by Robert Bell and
Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith by Robert Bell

My daughter loved Velvet Elvis. Rob Bell does this great Nooma videos as well. Excellent stuff.

PDN

I've been reading God's Secret Agents: Queen Elizabeth's forbidden priests and the hatching of the Gunpowder Plot by Alice Hogge.

It basically covers the Jesuits' mission to England during a time of political turmoil (Spanish Armada etc) and when the government found it expedient to whip up popular anti-Catholic feeling. The bravery of the Jesuits, and the cruelty involved in their torture and executions, is very well portrayed.

The book also details the work of Nicholas Owen, a master craftsman who fashioned many of the hiding places and 'priest holes' - some of which still survive in stately homes to this day.

PDN

An interesting read was Missions and Money by Jonathan J. Bonk. He explores the impact of missionaries who travel overseas and who, despite making sacrifices and a big drop in living standards, are still fabulously wealthy compared to the people they are supposed to be witnessing to.

He asks how can a missionary present a Gospel that is fundamentally incarnational when possessions and money skew the whole relationship between preacher and respondent.

Young Catholic

Am about to begin reading 'Kathy's Real Story' by Hermann Kelly.

PDN

Building Belief: Constructing Faith from the Ground Up by Chad V. Meister. I'm not normally a fan of aologetics books, but this one is well written and very readable.

Meister, a former engineer who is now a philosophy professor (not quite as impressive as it sounds - professors are two a penny in the American education system where it often simply equates to a lecturer), builds what he calls the Apologetic Pyramid - taking one step at a time and discussing the balance of probabilities.

Here are his steps in the Pyramid:

1. Truth. He demonstrates the law of non-contradiction and the concept of absolute truth as opposed to relativism.
2. Worldviews. He outlines three possible worldviews - theism (both mono & poly), atheism and pantheism.
3. Theism. He assesses the three worldviews on two criteria - logic and livability. He judges that theism passes both criteria, whereas pantheism fails logically, and atheism falls short on livability (particularly in respect to morality and the problem of good). Two more chapters examine the teleological and cosmological arguments for theism.
4. Revelation. He assesses arguments for the reliability of Scripture. These arguments, while not proving Scripture, show the balance of probability is more on the side of Scripture's reliability than against.
5. Resurrection. Again he examines the arguments for and against the historicity of the Resurrection. The view that Christ rose from the dead is more likely, in the author's opinion, than any of the alternative options on offer.
6. Gospel. The peak of the Apologetics Pyramid is to follow Christ's teaching on the Kingdom of God. This means breaking free of religious fatalism, including the Christian variety.

The book has its flaws. At times I felt the author was overly dismissive of opposing views. But, having said that, it serves as a good introduction to the issues and should provoke the reader to further study.

One thing that really impressed me was the bibliography at the end of each chapter. Meister lists books for his position and an equal number of works against ( eg works by John Hick, Richard Dawkins, Bertrand Russell, Robert Pennock, Quentin Smith, Burton Mack and Michael Martin).

robindch

PDN wrote:

Here are his steps in the Pyramid:

Perhaps you could develop some of these views in a separate thread? Particularly the idea that "atheism falls short on livability" -- what on earth does he/you mean by that? Is this the emotional appeal argument that he can't imagine living without his belief in god?

I'm also intrigued by what you mean by "particularly in respect to morality and the problem of godd" (I understood you didn't believe that there was any connection between religious belief and morality) and what exactly the "problem" of godd (god/good?) is?

PDN

robindch wrote: »

Perhaps you could develop some of these views in a separate thread? Particularly the idea that "atheism falls short on livability" -- what on earth does he/you mean by that? Is this the emotional appeal argument that he can't imagine living without his belief in god?

I would see little point in our discussing a book if only one of us has read the book in question, particularly since I am not in full agreement with everything in the book. His basic argument of livability concerns morality - an issue that has been discussed much on the A&A forum recently. The existence of objective moral values, in the authors' opinion, argues against atheism. That is what he calls "the problem of good" (godd was a fat fingered typo of mine )

I understood you didn't believe that there was any connection between religious belief and morality

You've made that assumption about me before and I've corrected it before. My position on the connection between religious belief and morality is as follows.
1. Some forms of religious belief produce moral improvement, others appear to produce moral decline and cruelty.
2. For Christians, salvation is by faith, not by works. However, true faith will always produce good works as a consequence, but not a cause, of salvation.
3. Different people start off from different moral starting points due to their circumstances of birth and upbringing. Therefore you can easily find an unbeliever who displays a higher moral standard than a believer. However, the believer must display higher moral standards than prior to his/her conversion.
If you want to discuss this further then feel free to start another thread. I think that would be better than us hijacking this one.

keano_afc

I've just finished the first book in the "Left Behind" series. I really enjoyed it, has anybody else read the series?

Fanny Cradock

The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World

Weather you by into the main premise or not, this is a very interesting book. It set out to give a broad overview of atheism - from one of its earliest incarnations with the Greeks, to its gradual rise throughout the ages, pivotal roles that atheism has played in certain key historical events, and finally how it reached its zenith during modernism and declined in a post-modern world. Indeed, the author Alister McGrath makes an interesting claim that the unifying goal of post-modernism is the greatest threat to atheism, and not Christianity as such. I would think that this is the most rushed section of his book. For whatever reason I don't think that there is enough expansion given to his claim regarding the decline of atheism. Maybe that's for the next book!

As a former atheist McGrath speaks about atheism in a respectful and peaceable manner which is a new approach for me. All in all it is a fascinating read.

kelly1

Greetings all, I just finished reading the excellent "Dialogue" by St. Catherine of Siena (Dominican).

It's basically a dialogue between St. Catherine and God in which she asks God to enlighten her about certain aspects of the faith. The chapters are:

- The Way of Perfection
- Dialogue
- The Bridge (Christ)
- Tears
- Truth
- The Mystical Body of Holy Church
- Divine Providence
- Obedience

The Bridge is an excellent chapter. Christ is described as the only bridge between Heaven and Earth and beneath that bridge flows the treacherous waters of selfishness, worldliness, sensuality etc.

The Dialogue hammers home the message that without God we are nothing and that to please God we must trample all selfishness under foot and seek only to do God's Holy Will. A great read!

God bless,
Noel.

CorsetRibbons

For those who are wondering what God is all about, I just read a great book called: God Explained in a Taxi Ride by Paul Arden. I bought it in Paris and love it.
It has sweet pictures and simple text. Beauty doesn't happen by accident.

philologos

Hm, the last books I have read on Christianity are:

Mere Christianity, C.S Lewis
Miracles, C.S Lewis
The History of the Crusades, Steven Runciman (volume 1)

All great reads, for anyone willing to understand of the Crusades the History of the Crusades is a good series, I'm into the 2nd volume now.