Top 10 books to read - Rev. Dan Hutchinson
June 2022 (Tidings magazine) - With a life-long love affair for books and theology, it is very hard to pare my favorites down to 10 books, but here it goes (in no particular order):
On the Incarnation - St. Athanasius (330)
Paints a compelling picture of why Christ become human and the beauty of this truth for believers.
Confessions - St. Augustine (400)
Augustine was my gateway to reformed theology, so I owe him a lot.
Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky (1914)
Sometimes the best way to talk about sin, grace, forgiveness, repentance, restoration, and a host of other theological realities is through story.
The Abolition of Man - C.S. Lewis (1944)
I highly recommend any and all things by Lewis, but this exploration of truth is definitely worth your time.
The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien (1954)
Where do I begin? In taking us out of our world, Tolkien reminds us that the world is beautiful and that goodness abounds, even in the face of great evil and suffering. Through narrative, he paints a portrait of courageous living and making the next hard choice of self-sacrifice. He reminds us of the need for companions along the way while inviting us to see our lives as part of a grander story that is unfolding.
The Cost of Discipleship - Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1959)
If you want to be challenged in your walk of faith, look no further. Bonhoeffer digs into the lie of cheap grace, and the cost of following Jesus.
Knowing God - J.I. Packer (1973)
A great place to start your theological journey, and a deep well to which you will frequently want to return.
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction - Eugene Peterson (1980)
This is a book I continually come back to as Peterson explores the slow journey of faith in an instant society.
The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming - Henri Nouwen (1992)
A reminder of God’s astounding love and the call to imitate our heavenly Father.
Delighting in the Trinity Michael Reeves (2012) - Michael Reeves (2012)
The doctrine of the Trinity may seem like irrelevant theological gymnastics invented to create jobs for theologians. Reeves argues that it is essential to our understanding of the nature and the work of God. This is a new one for me, but I found it to be a transformative book on a complex topic that is easily accessible and well worth a read.
You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit - James K. A. Smith (2016)
Explores the idea that the Christian life is not simply a matter of the head, but of the heart, and the implications for the discipleship.