Favorite Books from 2003

This has been a great year for reading. Thanks to all who have recommended good books to me this year. I’d like to pass on the favor by listing some of the many books (along with two teaching CD’s) that have helped me most this year, in no particular order.


A Theory of Everything and The Marriage of Sense and Soul
These two books by philosopher Ken Wilber are not “ChThe Next Christendomristian” books, but the way of thinking Wilber promotes and exemplifies – which he calls “integral” thinking and which I call “emergent” thinking – is powerful and important, in my opinion. (Thanks to Jay Gary for this recommendation.)

Exclusion and Embrace
This masterpiece by Miroslav Volf probably took me longer to read than anything I’ve read in years – not because it’s esoteric or hard to grasp, but because it’s so rich. I kept stopping, thinking, contemplating, writing myself notes, and praying as I read. Powerful, gripping, challenging, profound. (Thanks to Tony Jones for telling me about Volf.)

Systematic Theology
Ethics (1), Doctrine (2), Witness (3)
It’s ironic that James Wm. McClendon, Jr., known as one of the fathers of narrative theology, would write a systematic theology – but really, it’s a narrative approach to systematic theology – more what I’d call “systemic” theology. The order of the titles is a lesson in itself. This trilogy is long, but it has been nourishing me for the last year or so. (Thanks to Parush Parushev for urging me to read McClendon.)

Christianity Rediscovered
Many people know how much I’ve been helped by Protestant missiologist Lesslie Newbigin. This winsome and moving book by Catholic missionary (to the Masai in Tanzania) ranks with Newbigin’s thought, though it is less academic. I began this book years ago (maybe 20?), and didn’t get into it. This year I found it again, and it moved and inspired me.

The Mountain of Silence
Kyriacos Markides’ recollection of his time with Father Maximos, a Greek Orthodox monk and mystic, is a wonderful introduction to Eastern Orthodox spirituality. Many of us feel that the problems identified by postmodern thinkers are the problems of western rationalism; to find Christian thought less enmeshed with western rationalism, we need to go back – before the Reformation, before Augustine, to the Eastern fathers. If you want a readable introduction to the Eastern way of following Christ, this is highly recommended – along with Anthony Bloom’s “Beginning to Pray,” which began transforming my prayer life many years ago. (Thanks to Nick and Jamie Howard for this book.)

Wendell Berry
I’ve been working my way through all of Wendell Berry’s writings, and this year, especially enjoyed Life is a Miracle (essays in response to E. O. Wilson, one of modern rationalism’s arch-defenders). I’ve re-read Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community a few times now. Berry’s poetry, especially The Timbered Choir, continues to nourish me as well, and Jayber Crow was the first novel of Berry’s that I read earlier this year. I think Berry is the best Christian thinker and writer in America today. Too few Christians know about him.

The Reluctant Saint
David Soto’s biography of St. Francis is good. There are so many good ones – years ago I read Chesterton’s. The point is, whichever biographies you read, to grapple with this inspiring, sad, happy, tragic, triumphant brother in the faith.

The Lessons of St. Francis
John Michael Talbot and Steve Rabey have written a wonderful, popular-level introduction to St. Francis. (Thanks to Patsy Fratanduono.)

CD’s from N. T. Wright
Christian Hope in a Postmodern World
Creation and New Creation
These recorded lectures are available through Regent College Bookstore. They’re excellent. Bishop Wright is a brilliant ally in the struggle to engage with postmodern thought and culture.

To Be Released
In 2003, I’ve been asked to review a lot of good manuscripts awaiting publication, but three stand out.

Reading Colossians in a Postmodern Context
This commentary by Sylvia Keesmaat and Brian Walsh (whose Truth is Stranger Than It Used to Be helped me greatly back in the 90’s) is groundbreaking. For people who wonder how postmodern readers deal with the Scriptures, this book sets the stage wonderfully. It will be out with IVP in 2004 (I think). A great read!

Mission Mover
Tom Bandy has written a lot of great books, but none greater than this, in my opinion. Every seminar professor and president, every denominational official, every pastor, and every potential seminarian should read this book. It’s uncomfortable, challenging, and prophetic.

The Lost Message of Jesus
My new friend in London, Steve Chalke, has written a book that will have broad popular appeal, and will nudge our understanding of Jesus and his message out of old and tired ruts and into some fresh, open paths.

The Next Christendom
I finally finished this important book. It was disturbing to me, largely because of the statistics about population growth and the potential of "jihad versus crusade" in various parts of the world. It was also affirming of the direction I've felt for a couple of years regarding emergent (emergentvillage.com) - that we need to find and link up leaders and thinkers from across the world, especially hearing from Africa, Latin American, and Asia. If I had a chance to meet with the author, Dr. Jenkins, here are three questions I'd ask him:
1. You write a great deal about the African Independent Churches and the worldwide Pentecostal explosion. To what degree are these movements spawned, sustained, and guided (if not controlled) by Euro-American televangelism and other "western" and "northern" forms of fundamentalism - and to what degree are they going down a different path from euro-american conservative Christianity?
2. You write about how Europe (especially) has moved from Christendom to secularism or notionalism. Do you see signs of this happening among educated and 2nd generation African, Latin American, and Asian Christians? In other words, might they be on the same track as Western Christianity, but a few centuries behind and moving at a faster pace?
3. What do you wish Christians here in America would do in response to your book? What advice would you give a group like emergent?

Website for Visuals
Blair Anderson has a helpful website http://www.avisualplanet.com for visuals to be used in worship music projection and other educational venues. She's a gifted photographer and computer graphics designer.

Resources
Emergent/YS publishes resources www.shop.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/emergentYS.storefront/3e949a8a032239f62719ac1410010644 needed by emerging church leaders. I was a member of the original editorial board and I believe each of their resources has real value.