Friday, February 1, 2008

Five For Friday: Influential Books

Gonna start a new series here. Every Friday I'll recommend/note five somethings that relate to a common something. Vague enough for you?

This week's edition, the very first, I'll list the five books that have most influenced my thinking/theology. These aren't necessarily the best books on their particular subjects, and they're not even necessarily what I would most recommend to anybody else. They are just the ones that made the difference for me in certain areas.

In no particular order:

1. God in the Dock by C.S. Lewis

2. The Challenge of Jesus by N.T. Wright

3. Exegetical Fallacies by D.A. Carson

4. The Gospel of the Kingdom by George Eldon Ladd

5. The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

How about you? In the comments, tell me what books have most influenced your theology.

7 comments:

Vitamin Z said...

Biblical Theology is cool. Gospel of the Kingdom. I need to get that one.

Here are some others that I have been into lately that are great along similar lines:

Michael D. Williams - As Far As The Curse Is Found

Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen - The Drama of Scripture

Creation Regained - Wolters


More to add, but enough for now...

TK said...

Hey Jared,

I have been reading your blog for a while. I think this may be my first comment though.

The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning helped me fall in love with Jesus

Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby greatly expanded the idea of a relationship with God.

Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard gave me a totally new perspective on Spiritual Formation in Christ

I have started the Divine Conspiracy about 12 times and have yet to finish it. ~sigh~

Looking forward to what others have to say.

Bob Spencer said...

Hi Jared: I'm right with you on #s 4 and 5. Haven't read 2 & 3, but will someday. I would add Gordon Fee's Paul, The Spirit, and the People of God,, John Stott's The Cross of Christ, Lewis Smedes' All Things Made New, and of course Bonhoeffer's Life Together.

C. S. Lewis' work is very special to me, but I don't know how much he influenced my theological understanding. He was teaching me even before I became a Christian, in fact, and I think his book on the Psalms helped me a good deal, as well as The Great Divorce. Eugene Peterson's works also look large in my mental bookscape, but I wouldn't know which to choose. They have had a cumulative impact on my way of thinking.

The Friday Five looks like a great new tradition around here. And thanks for the invitation to add our own 2-cents worth.

Anonymous said...

Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
The Challenge of Jesus - N.T. Wright
Spiritual Writings - Flannery O'Connor
The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoevsky
All the Trouble in the World - PJ O'Rourke

AJ said...

I've been reading for awhile, but this may be my first comment...the book questions tend to grab me.

Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis (and other C.S. Lewis)
Desiring God, John Piper
Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer
Can Man Live Without God, Ravi Zacharias
The Message, Eugene Peterson (kind of a representative Peterson book...)

No doubt there are more, but those are some of the instrumental ones.

Unknown said...

The Cross of Christ - John Stott
Let the Nations Be Glad - John Piper
Total Church - Tim Chester & Steve Timmis
Communion with God - John Owen
Jesus & the Victory of God - N T Wright

Weekend Fisher said...

On Being A Theologian of the Cross - Gerhard O. Forde
History of the Church - Eusebius (for making the reality/historicity thing click)
The Little Flowers of St. Francis - St. Francis of Assissi (for showing me the beauty of Christian counter-culture and service to Christ)
Letters to Children - C.S. Lewis (for opening my eyes to new ways to use the craft of writing)
Lord of the Rings trilogy - J.R.R. Tolkien