Spirituality Books - Top 25 Contemporary List
This "best of the best" list of contemporary
(published since 1900) spirituality books is compiled from previous Top Ten Books lists,
and is updated monthly. A variety of perspectives, cultures and literary
categories are represented. For your convenience (since many of these books may not
be readily available in your local bookstore), I have directly linked each book to its
page at Amazon.com; just click its title and you can order in no time! Spiritual Journey
Press is an associate of Amazon.com.
Henri
J.M. Nouwen, The
Way of the Heart. This slim volume is one of the best introductions to solitude,
silence and prayer I have read. Nowen gets to the heart of the matter in elegant but
simple language. Though originally addressed to religious workers, any lay person
will find it a joy to read. Quick Quote: "Solitude is the furnace of
transformation. Without solitude we remain victims of our society and continue to be
entangled in the illusions of the false self."
Thomas
Merton, The
Seven Storey Mountain. A classic twentieth century spiritual autobiography
written by a Trappist monk whose writings have rached millions of people. Standing
firm in the classical Christian monastic tradition, Merton shares his conversion and
journey to monastic life with literary style and a bit of religious naivete (which he will
lose in his later journals). If you haven't tasted Merton's writings, this is the
place to start. Quick Quote: "America is discovering the contemplative
life."
Thomas
Merton, Life
and Holiness. A slim but profound volume by the Trappist monk whose writings
have influenced a generation of Christians who seek to grow deeper into the mystery of
Christ. Merton's employs a probing intellect and personal honesty as he reflects on
how Christians can reach for holiness in a modern world racked by anxiety. Quick
Quote: "Sin is the refusal of spiritual life, the rejection of the inner order
and peace that come from our union with the divine will."
Simone
Weil, Gravity
and Grace. Weil's reflections are creative, counter- intuitive, and probe the
mysteries of God's relationship to those who seek the divine presence in their
lives. Her themes of gravity and grace, detachment, and attention (as prayer) are
illuminating and brilliant. She's not an easy read, but well worth the effort.
Quick Quote: "The extreme greatness of Christianity lies in the fact that it
does not seek a supernatural remedy for suffering but a supernatural use for it."
Henry
T. Blackaby, Experiencing
God. This book is sweeping evangelical churches. Its goal is to make
the Christian life come alive by deepening the Christian's grasp and experience of God's
love, presence and spiritual power. Many people who have read Blackaby comment that
his books are a nice complement to the teachings of Endless
Possibilities. Quick Quote: "For Jesus, doing God's
will was more important than food."
Morton
Kelsey, The Other Side
of Silence: Meditation for the Twenty-First Century. Twenty years
ago, The Other Side of Silence was published, the first book to join Christian
meditation with Jungian psychology. This revised edition incorporates insights from
Kelsey's additional 20 years of wisdom, 20 years of practicing meditation, and the wealth
of knowledge behind dozens of books he has written since then. (Amazon.com
synopsis). Quick Quote: "Either too much involvement with or too
much contempt for worldly affairs may show that we are handcuffed to them at a deep
level."
Abraham
Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath.
There is no better work on the spirituality of the Sabbath than this brief reflection by
one of the greatest Jewish writers of this century. Heschel probes the beauty,
mystery and power of the Sabbath with a writing style that is almost poetic. Every
page elevates the soul to new heights of appreciation for God. Quick Quote:
"The Sabbath is the day on which we learn the art of surpassing
civilization. . . The Sabbath itself is a sanctuary which we build, a sanctuary in
time."
Rick
Warren, The Purpose
Driven Church. This book has found tremendous success in communicating how
churches can fulfill their mission journeys. Although churches may be
"driven" by a variety of forces (such as tradition, personality, finances,
programs, buidlings, events, or seekers), Warren asserts that the Biblical mandate is to
be "purpose driven." He calls us to "recapture a clear vision of what
God wants to do in and through your church family." If this reminds you of my Endless Possibilities' emphasis on God's will
and fufilling our "goal-oriented" journeys, give yourself a pat on the back!
Bruce Demarest, Satisfy Your
Soul: Restoring the Heart of Christian Spirituality. Bruce is one of the
professors I had the privilege to meet at the Denver Seminary faculty retreat I attended
in September, 1998. This brand new book is an excellent overview of the subject of
spiritual formation from an evangelical perspective. The author shares his own
spiritual journey and introduces (and evaluates) the writings of both classical and
contemporary proponents of spiritual formation.
James
Smith and Richard Foster, Devotional
Classics. This is an excellent collection of 52 writings from mystics and
saints. Smith and Foster have included Biblical passages, questions and exercises to
help individuals and groups appreciate and apply the wisdom of the masters. I would
recommend this book for Bible studies and Sunday school classes.
John Stott, Basic
Christianity. Lois and I had the privilege of hearing Stott preach at All Souls
Church in London in 1978. He is a perfect blend of scholar, pastor, social critic
and theologian. Basic
Christianity is a classic which has been used by countless Sunday School classes.
I would recommend any of Stott's many books, but let me highlight his newest:
Evangelical
Truth: A Personal Plea for Unity, Integrity, and Faithfulness.
J.I. Packer, Knowing God.
Packer, along with stott, has influenced a generation of Biblical students.
As the book's title states, the purpose of the work is to draw us into a deeper
personal relationship with God.
A very inexpensive Knowing God
Study Guide ($4.99 retail; Amazon.com sells it for $3.99) is also available.
A.W. Tozer, The
Knowledge of the Holy and The Pursuit of God.
Delve into the attributes of God in a prayerful way with a master! Tozer's
style is compelling. Take, for example, this quote from The
Knowledge of the Holy: "Upon God's faithfulness rests our whole hope of
future blessedness." Amen!
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