Many of you have asked what books I have been reading, which ones have been helpful during personal study, or which books are my favorites with respect to a certain issue.  I have compiled a list, though incomplete, of some of the books that I  find helpful in the Christian faith. I hope you are encouraged to pick up any of these book.

                                       Dr. Robert H. Bohler, Jr.

(Necessary Disclaimer: Though I recommend each of these books, neither I nor Central Presbyterian Church necessarily endorse everything printed in these books.)

I have just finished reading a delightful little book, Calvin for Armchair Theologians by Christopher Elwood,  on the life and theology of John Calvin. I call it delightful because it is well written and enjoyable to read. I would describe it as little because it is less than 200 pages. I sometimes have people ask me, “Do you have a good book on John Calvin?” Up until now I have had to answer, “Yes, it’s called the Institutes of the Christian Religion and it’s 2000 pages.” John Calvin’s major theological work is brilliant, but not easy to read. It is also quite long (Calvin had a lot he want to say). So the theological thoughts of John Calvin have been a bit inaccessible to the average person. However, Christopher Elwood, a theology professor at Louisville Theological Seminary has recently written a very accessible book on John Calvin’s life, writings, and thought. Elwood starts with a brief overview of John Calvin’s life and the times in which Calvin lived (the 1500’s in France and Switzerland). Then he turns his pen to Calvin’s theological thought. What is remarkable about this section is how simple he makes the theological concepts Calvin discussed. The author concludes with a section on the theological legacy John Calvin left. This is a wonderful book for Presbyterians to read. John Calvin is the father of Presbyterian theology and as such, we owe him a great debt. But Calvin does not always get his due. He is sometimes thought of as analytical and cold, the theological father of the “frozen chosen.” But that could not be further from the truth. In fact Calvin thought theology ought to be “hot”, full of passion and urgency, because God was life’s ultimate concern. This book gives a valuable picture of this man passionate about God. It also gives us an important glimpse of one of the sharpest theological minds the world has ever known.

C. S. Lewis spent most of his writing career in defense of the Christian faith. He wrote to articulate how Christianity made sense, why it helped make the world intelligible, and why an intelligent person could embrace it. People have found Lewis’s writings interesting and appealing, if not always easy to understand. In C. S. Lewis’s Case For Christ - Insights from Reason, Imagination, and Faith, author Art Lindsley focuses on the things Lewis had to say about the person of Christ and Christianity in general. The beauty of this book is that it gathers Lewis’s arguments for Christianity from his many writings and puts them in summary form. The book is really a compilation of the various ways C. S. Lewis defended Christianity against skeptics who discounted it. The author has chapters on various problems Lewis’s writings addressed. It turns out these are still issues in today’s world. He has chapters on how Lewis dealt with, the problem of evil, miracles, chronological “snobbery” (the view that anything as old as the Bible could not be relevant or interesting), postmodernism, relativism, the problem of death, the place of other religions, and the meaning of Christ’s coming. Lewis’s insights are still instructive for us today. They still help us make sense of our world. They still serve to give us confidence that faith in Christ is not irrational. In fact, Lewis reminds us, through his profound rational insights, that Christianity makes better sense of the world than anything else. A good book and well worth reading.
 

In his book Basic Christianity, world-renowned scholar and preacher John R. W. Stott embarks on a compelling course of study that first defends the fundamental claims of Christianity and then defines the proper over workings of these basic beliefs in the daily lives of believers. Here is a sound, sensible guide for those who are seeking an intellectually satisfying presentation of the Christian faith. Stott's book is a very practical, easy-to-read introduction to the Christian life. Who is God? Who is Christ? What is sin? What does being a Christian mean? These are all very basic, fundamental questions that are answered in a no-nonsense, straightforward way. For those who have been Christians for some time, it is always good to review the basic fundamentals. Sometimes you see things possibly in a way that you never did before. Stott's explanation of the Ten Commandments and their application is by itself worth the price of the book. Basic Christianity
is a small book, but loaded with helpful information. 

 

In A Geography of God, popular author and preacher Michael Lindvall describes the life of a Christian as a journey with three parts: “Leaving for Home,” “The Way,” and “Life on the Road.” The first part of the journey struggles with the question, “Why go anywhere at all, spiritually speaking?” The second part names the road, the way found in the ancient map of God called the Trinity. The third part describes life on the road as many others have known it: full of mile markers, road signs, warnings of perilous curves, refreshments for the weary, and notices of lively things to be seen along the way. This wonderfully written book provides readers with some hints about what they may experience during their individual journeys. This book is ideal as devotional reading for all Christians, and it provides helpful explanations of many of Christianity’s foundational beliefs for those new to the Christian faith. Educators and pastors will also welcome the book as a help for sermon illustrations and adult and young adult study classes.

"Michael Lindvall is the perfect guide for wherever you are on your spiritual journey. Walking alongside you as a compassionate, tolerant companion with a keen intellect that is exciting and energizing."--Katie Couric
 

What’s So Great About Christianity?  By Dinesh D’Souza
In the last several years there has been a deliberate attempt by several prominent atheists to defend atheism. In some best selling books, these authors have attacked religious belief, particularly Christianity. In What’s So Great About Christianity?, the author takes these attack head-on. He gives a reasoned and rational defense of the Christian faith against its intellectual critics. I found this book to be incredibly helpful. It’s strength is it’s weakness in that it is very detailed. Not everyone will be willing to wade through the arguments. But the chapters are short. The writing is engaging. The arguments are persuasive. One of the helpful things about the book is the perspective it takes. D’Souza writes from a traditional theological perspective. That is, he does not try to write from either a “conservative” or “liberal” viewpoint. Rather he seeks to  defend a center position of Christian belief, the things Christians have always believed to be the heart of the faith. This is a book that people on all sides of the theological spectrum can appreciate. One of the other wonderful things about the book is that he shows that the very arguments atheists use against Christianity, actually work in its favor. When thoughtfully considered, many things that seem to weaken Christianity’s claims, actually are further evidence of its validity. This is a very important book and well worth the effort to read.