Suggestion for good book on theology/Christianity for a...hmm...an agnostic, I guess?

[melissel]

I'm nearing the end of the my first book for the 888 Challenge, and I want to go out of my typical depth for the next one, so I thought I'd ask all you smart, spiritual mamas (and a few dads :D) for some suggestions.

I'm pretty sure I believe in a God of some sort, but beyond that, I don't know what I think, and I'm interested in learning more. Can anyone make any suggestions? I'm not necessarily looking to find a religion--I'm mainly looking to expand my horizons--but you never know what might happen!

TIA!

[Whitney in KY]

This is by Josh McDowell. Good luck with your reading and learning. :)

[MaryM]

Well, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is the first book that came to my mind when I read your question. He was basically an agnostic at the start!

[Sue G in PA]

The Case for Faith (it will really get you thinking!), The Case for Christ and I think he has one called the Case for A Creator although I'm not positive. It's new. Just search your library for Lee Strobel or Amazon or Barnes and Noble is having that 25% off sale now until the end of the wekk :) Also recommend another Josh McDowell book called More Than A Carpenter. AND, I love Max Lucado as well. Good luck with your searching...I was once where you are and it is an exciting place to be, really. Oh, and I found that simply reading the Bible was a good place to begin! Check out Answers in Genesis website for other resources and recommendations for books to aid your search!

[PixieKris]

Interesting question - I have seen Mere Christianity recommended frequently as a definition/explaination of Christianity that crosses Christian denominations.
I loved Anne Lamont's "Traveling Mercies" (and then plan B), describing her own journey in a down to earth, non preachy fashion... but it doesn't get into what I think of as theology.
And, this is probably not what you are looking for, but I recently enjoyed "Religion as a Natural Phenomenon." It looks at the cultural transmission of Religion, the belief in belief, etc... It sort of met me where I am right now in my quest... It is written by an athiest, and is more gentle than Dawkins' work.
Good luck!
Kris

[melissel]

Excellent, thank you everyone! These will beef up the category very nicely. How could I forget about CS Lewis? That will be my next pick, if the library has it handy.

Interesting question - I have seen Mere Christianity recommended frequently as a definition/explaination of Christianity that crosses Christian denominations.
I loved Anne Lamont's "Traveling Mercies" (and then plan B), describing her own journey in a down to earth, non preachy fashion... but it doesn't get into what I think of as theology.
And, this is probably not what you are looking for, but I recently enjoyed "Religion as a Natural Phenomenon." It looks at the cultural transmission of Religion, the belief in belief, etc... It sort of met me where I am right now in my quest... It is written by an athiest, and is more gentle than Dawkins' work.
Good luck!
Kris

Kris, thank you for the reminder about Anne Lamott as well. I love her nonfiction (Bird by Bird, Operating Instructions), and have often been curious about her route to faith, but I was never in a place to explore more. Now's the perfect time! In fact, she's speaking at a B&N near here in a few weeks, and I was dying to go. Maybe I'll buy a copy of Traveling Mercies and see if I can get her to sign it!

And actually, that last book does sound right up my alley--I'm very interested in faith as a cultural phenomenon (it's just my nature as a researcher ;)), so that's a great reco as well.

Thank you! I knew I could rely on you all.

[Tracy in Ky]

I'm nearing the end of the my first book for the 888 Challenge, and I want to go out of my typical depth for the next one, so I thought I'd ask all you smart, spiritual mamas (and a few dads :D) for some suggestions.



Desiring God by John Piper

[Melinda in VT]

I like Marcus Borg's books (Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time, etc.). He represents a way of looking at Christianity that is different from the fundamentalist view that seems so dominant in America these days.

[ack25]

I have heard good things about The Faith Club http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Club-Muslim-Christian-Understanding/dp/0743290488/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200868115&sr=8-1. In fact, the Presb. church that shares it's church with our buildingless synogogue is hosting a interreligous book discussion on the book.

Dh's friend, Chris, has read some good atheist books. I'll let you know if I can recall the titles.

[PixieKris]

The Faith Club was also really good - a nice overview of the three faiths that share the common root of Abraham, and a very "real" dialogue about religious stereotypes (both conscious and unconscious). It's what I'd consider a "light read" (easy and interesting and quick) that has the potential to be studied in depth if desired. A new book club I am in is using it as one of our first books, because all of our book choices are going to be around questions of spirituality. :)

[Melinda in VT]

Kris, that book group sounds great.

I read The Faith Club last year and really enjoyed it.

[Mx5]

Boring title, excellent book written not to bible scholars, but to real people like all the rest of us. ;)

[Melora in NC]

How about Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense (http://www.amazon.com/Simply-Christian-Christianity-Makes-Sense/dp/0060507152/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200873049&sr=1-1), by N.T. Wright

[Patty Joanna]

Mere Christianity by CS Lewis is good because it is conversational; it is the written record of a series of radio addresses he made during the Second World War. It is not in any way condescending, but neither is it a doctoral treatise or "technical manual" for Christian theology. It is well written, has stood the test of time, contains a lot of word-pictures that are referred to in other literature--including some of the other books recommended in this thread--and it will give you an eye into the mind and thought of one of the most highly regarded Christian thinkers of modern times.

[Daisy]

I love anything by John Piper!

[Jlynn]

"Spirituality of the Cross" by Gene E. Veith. He's also got an active blog at this site: http://www.geneveith.com/

[PixieKris]

I was just rereading parts of "Dark Night of the Soul" by May last night and thought of this thread again.... Dark Night of the Soul is by St. John of the Cross, but May's 'guide' is very modern, and interesting to reread... He revisits St. John's and St. Therese's work from a modern cultural and psychological understanding with some references to how it can be intrepreted across religions, though his grounding seems to be Christian.
:) Kris

[OnTheBrink]

Desiring God by John Piper

This was my first thought, too. John Piper is an excellent author.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

but also, "Letters from a Skeptic" is really good too. Loved it when I read it. It's letters written from a son to his agnostic father and their exchange is so real, super good.

[Anna]

Well, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is the first book that came to my mind when I read your question. He was basically an agnostic at the start!

Yes, this book by C.S. Lewis would be a good one.

[orangeblossom]

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