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What are some great Christian books you've read?

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  • 19-09-2019 8:39pm
    #1
    santana75
    Registered Users Posts: 1,302 ✭✭✭


    I've read a couple of good ones lately:

    "Pursuit of God" Tozer
    "Pilgrims Progress" John Bunyan
    "Peace with God" Billy Graham
    "Fathered by God" John Eldridge

    Are there any good books people could recommend? Nothing too dense or academic though.


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    #2
    railer201
    Registered Users Posts: 968 ✭✭✭railer201


    Living the Mystery by Mark Hederman. A recent publication - the main topic is regaining one's spiritual side in a reductionist and scientific world. A great read, though possibly will appeal to more broad church Christians.


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    #3
    ChrisJ84
    Registered Users Posts: 377 ✭✭ChrisJ84


    Knowing God - J I Packer
    Mortification of Sin - John Owen (puritan paperback is really accessible)
    Holiness - J C Ryle

    To be honest, anything by Packer, Ryle or the puritans is absolute gold.

    A really good short doctrine book (by an Irishman no less!) is In Understanding Be Men by T C Hammond.

    So many good books, so little time!


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    #4
    santana75
    Registered Users Posts: 1,302 ✭✭✭santana75


    ChrisJ84 wrote: »

    So many good books, so little time!

    Please by all means keep the recommendations coming. I love to encounter great books I never read before.


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    #5
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    Anything by Watchman nee and Oswald chambers.


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    #6
    ChrisJ84
    Registered Users Posts: 377 ✭✭ChrisJ84


    santana75 wrote: »
    Please by all means keep the recommendations coming. I love to encounter great books I never read before.

    Another one that comes to mind (and is very relevant to much of the discussion on this forum :)) is the Intolerance of Tolerance by D A Carson. I think every Christian living in a Western country should read it. A good accompaniment to it is A Practical Guide to Culture by John Stonestreet.

    If you enjoyed the Pilgrim's Progress you should try some of Bunyan's other works. I read "The Jerusalem Sinner Saved" recently - epic title! Bunyan basically riffs for 120 pages on how God delights in saving the worst of people, and that when we come to understand our sin rightly we will see ourselves in that way.


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    #7
    antiskeptic
    Registered Users Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭antiskeptic


    It's not necessary to agree with what he says, but Martyn Lloyd Jones is worth a look if you've never read an exposition (a thoroughly detailed, word by word analysis on what that piece of scripture is saying).

    It is dense (his study on Romans formed a 14 book x 300-400 page each library) but easy enough to read.

    Reading one book would be enough to show that scripture has a depth not easily apprehended by any other means delivered by book.

    It stopped any tendency of mine to quote a line or a section of scripture supposing that demonstrated anything conclusively.


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    #8
    kelly1
    Registered Users Posts: 5,026 ✭✭✭kelly1


    A few that stand out for me:

    - The Diary of St. Faustina
    - The Fulfillment of All Desire, Ralph Martin
    - Theology for Beginners, Frank J. Sheed
    - Story of a Soul, St. Therese of Lisieux
    - The Imitation of Christ, Thomas A'Kempis.
    - True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort
    - An Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales
    - The Glories of Divine Grace, Fr. Matthias J. Scheeben


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    #9
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,467 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    My most tecent one
    - John Charles McQuaid - Ruler of Catholic Ireland


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    #10
    hinault
    Registered Users Posts: 5,932 ✭✭✭hinault


    The faith journey of Scott Hahn and his wife, through various sects of protestantism to the Catholic Church, is all captured in a great read titled "Home Sweet Rome"

    "The Interior Castle" by St.Teresa of Avila is a phenomenal read. It is a series of writings which explain the spiritual progress that a soul needs to undertake to achieve higher purpose. The book teaches that there are 7 levels which the soul seeks to attain. It is a profound book.


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    #11
    antiskeptic
    Registered Users Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭antiskeptic


    Cross Vision by Greg Boyd. The fairly easy to rad entry level book deriving from a more in depth research tome.

    Two of the most interesting elements covered:

    Christ as the full, clear manifestation of God's character. Whilst we look to Christ, very often our view of God is coloured by what else is written about God elsewhere.

    For instance, the angry, wrathful, judging, warlike God as revealed in the OT. A God who turns his back on people and let's them suffer as a consequence of their sin. A God watching and punishing (either through ommision or commission.

    Boyd argues that this representation of God is a false one, a projection of people (who wrote that scripture) onto God.

    God isn't like this because Christ isn't like this.


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    #12
    8kczg9v0swrydm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭8kczg9v0swrydm


    The Imitation of Christ by Tomas a Kempis
    Words of Love by Bartholomew Gottemoller
    Story of a Soul by St Therese of Liseaux
    The Priest is Not His Own by Bp Fulton J Sheen
    Catechism of Fr John Hardon
    Saintly Solutions by Fr Esper

    And last but not least The Spiritual Life by Tanquaray. This book has the entire Catholic spirituality mapped out and has been a staple for generations of priests. I am still in awe at how comprehensive it is. Cannot recommend this book enough.


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    #13
    branie2
    Registered Users Posts: 10,295 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    The Song of Bernadette by Franz Werfel
    The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis
    Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich
    The Book of Margery Kemp by Margery Kemp


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    #14
    antiskeptic
    Registered Users Posts: 9,555 ✭✭✭antiskeptic


    santana75 wrote: »
    I've read a couple of good ones lately:

    "Pursuit of God" Tozer
    "Pilgrims Progress" John Bunyan
    "Peace with God" Billy Graham
    "Fathered by God" John Eldridge

    Are there any good books people could recommend? Nothing too dense or academic though.

    Greg Boyd is good for an easy but thought provoking read. His one on the warlike, a-smitin and a-smothin' OT God being but a projection by a formerly pagan people is an interesting thesis. Not a subject ever mentioned in church - folk tend to concentrate of JentilJesus.

    Makes a lot a sense, seeing as folk bring their baggage into dealings with God in our day too. If they worshipped warlike god's before, why wouldn't they project that onto God? Fair point!

    Beats the schizo-God hypothesis


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