Friday, March 8, 2013

5 Books that Are Influencing Me the Most Right Now

Usually Friday is book review day. But I've got too many deadlines. So I thought I'd answer the question: What are the five books that are influencing me the most?
  • Disruptive Grace by Walter Brueggemann. This book opens my eyes to what covenantal spirituality looks like.
  • The Light Has Come by Lessilie Newbigin. This commentary on the book of John reveals the character and nature of God. 
  • The Dark Night by Saint John of the Cross. I never wanted to read this book because I always wanted to avoid the dark night experience. Well, enough said.
  • Redeeming the Routines by Robert Banks. I read this book 20 years ago. I found it on my shelf and I realized that the author speaks to major themes that I have been working on for the last decade. 
  • The Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer. My hope is that the book I'm writing now on leading community might come close to his wisdom about leading as a teacher.
What books are influencing you right now?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Our book club is reading “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver. Our book club is an eclectic gathering of former colleagues, family members and friends who love to read, talk and eat. No other criteria than that. It is not intended to be a huddle of believers nor do we read “Christian” books. I’m wondering how this depiction of a dysfunctional missionary is going to play itself out in discussion. The book is influencing me in that it is forcing me to reflect on how the word “missionary” is processed in the public at large or at least in my circle of friends. What unfortunate stereotypes have been entrenched in their minds. And how many are unfortunately based on blundering attempts to “propagate the gospel’?