25 Books Every Christian Should Read

[Anne Lee]

I've been looking at this list of 25 Books Every Christian Should Read (http://www.renovare.us/WHATWEDO/Resources/25BooksEveryChristianShouldRead/tabid/2794/Default.aspx) for quite a while now. I must admit that I've only read a few of them. Actually, I've read 3. I think my Advent observances already has a new focus.

25 Books Every Christian Should Read
1. On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius
2. Confessions by St. Augustine
3. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
4. The Rule of St. Benedict by St. Benedict
5. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
6. The Cloud of Unknowing by Anonymous
7. Revelations of Divine Love (Showings) by Julian of Norwich
8. The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis
9. The Philokalia
10. Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
11. The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila
12. Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross
13. Pensées by Blaise Pascal
14. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
15. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
16. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life by William Law (download this chapter from 25 Books)
17. The Way of a Pilgrim by Unknown Author
18. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
19. Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton
20. The Poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins
21. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
22. A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R. Kelly
23. The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton
24. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
25. The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J. M. Nouwen

[Miss Cellane]

I am somewhat amazed that I've read 7 of these. (Although I feel it's more like 10, because the Divine Comedy is 3 books, and they are in parts a difficult read.) I'm putting that down to having studied a lot of medieval literature.

But I don't know if I want to tackle all the rest of them. Maybe I'll shoot for one a year for a while.

[goldensmom]

I've not seen that list before. I've read 13 of the 25. Being of the reformed tradition, Calvin's Institutes is standard fair. If I were to only read 5 of the books on the list, 'Practice the Presence of God' would be first followed by 'The Interior Castel', 'Dark Night of the Soul', 'Serious Call' and 'Cost of Discipleship'. Good list.

[Sad Eyed Lady]

My husband keeps "Practice the Presence of God" by Bro. Lawrence out with his reading materials all the time. He has read it again and again, and has given copies to others. Of this list, I have read parts of different ones.

[JaneV2.0]

I've read Dante. It was kind of fun mentally consigning various transgressors to the appropriate circle of Hell.

I would add the New Testament to the list, personally.

[Stella]

Nice list. I have read 4 and a half of these. I think I will look into downloading some of the others.

[catherine]

Awesome list! I've read 9, and there are a few that have been on my list--some classics are available for free download at Christian Classics Ethereal Library (www.ccel.org)

The two I keep in my nightstand are Imitation of Christ and The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer's book is one of my top 10 books. I could read it again and again. (He actually has a great chapter on Simplicity in it).

[Stella]

Thanks for the link Catherine. I'll have to check that out.

[winterberry]

I would add Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. I've sometimes thought that it, along with Brother Lawrence and The Cloud might be the only three books I'd ever really need to read. But of course there are a lot of books that I've never read, including many on this list.

I'm going to share it with my Quaker book group for consideration. Thanks, Anne.


I would add the New Testament to the list, personally. :)

[Tradd]

I'm amazed The Philokalia is on that list! It was originally meant for Orthodox monastics. It's actually five volumes in the Greek/Russian, but only four have been translated into English. About 1200 pages in the English. It's not easy stuff, by far! I've read to read chunks in my classes. It contains writings from about the 4th Century through the 14th. Complied in the late 18th Century by St. Nikodemus the Hagiorite.

The Way of the Pilgrim was written anonymously in Russian, probably mid-19th century. It deals with the practice of the Jesus Prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner). Very charming book.

I've read:

1. On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius - this is wonderful, especially the edition from St. Vladimir's Seminary Press that has a lovely intro from CS Lewis.
2. Confessions by St. Augustine
3. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
5. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri - most of it
7. Revelations of Divine Love (Showings) by Julian of Norwich
9. The Philokalia
14. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
17. The Way of a Pilgrim by Unknown Author
18. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky - my favorite "Russian" book
24. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

[Anne Lee]

Tradd, I love how the editors pulled from all Christian traditions - Catholic, Orthodox, and the full breadth of Protestant. I think it gives a deeper and richer view of Christ. I am mostly content in my church and particular stream of Christianity (although I do miss the liturgical aspects) but I enjoy reading the works that emanate from others in that they are different but the same IYKWIM.

I should add that I think it will be a while before I'm ready to tackle the Philokeia. I may read the chapter included with the book 25 Books but I feel intimidated by it.

[Tradd]

Tradd, I love how the editors pulled from all Christian traditions - Catholic, Orthodox, and the full breadth of Protestant. I think it gives a deeper and richer view of Christ. I am mostly content in my church and particular stream of Christianity (although I do miss the liturgical aspects) but I enjoy reading the works that emanate from others in that they are different but the same IYKWIM.

I should add that I think it will be a while before I'm ready to tackle the Philokeia. I may read the chapter included with the book 25 Books but I feel intimidated by it.

I'm intimidated by the Philokalia! BTW, that's a Greek word that means "love of the beautiful."