ROD’S RECOMMENDED READING
(Updated on my 75th Birthday)
Selected books which have impacted my life and remained
“friends” for all these years.
C.
S. Lewis, MERE
CHRISTIANITY
An old friend
since high school days. Basic stuff
that started my journey.
Lord
Dunsanay, THE KING OF ELFLAND’S
DAUGHTER
Fantasy. The Other World (in the midst of this
world).
Paul
Tillich, THE SHAKING OF THE
FOUNDATIONS
Great sermons
of one of the twentieth century’s greatest theologians. Includes “You Are Accepted,” a moving
description of the experience of grace.
Isaac Asimov, FOUNDATION
Classic
SF.
H.
Richard Niebuhr, THE MEANING OF
REVELATION
The ‘story of
our lives’ from the inside of the faith community.
John
L. Epps, Editor, BENDING HISTORY,
TALKS OF JOSEPH WESLEY MATHEWS
A founder of
the Order: Ecumenical lays out the practical applications of 20th
century theology for living and renewing the local church and
society.
D.
H. Lawrence, SELECTED
POEMS
DHL, a
Christian poet or just saying it the way it is?
The
Modern Reader’s Bible, THE BOOK OF
JOB
Job ponders
suffering, the advice of ‘friends,’ and the limits of his
existence.
David Darlington, ANGELS’ VISITS, AN INQUIRY INTO THE
MYSTERY OF ZINFANDEL
The pleasure
and joys of a good Zin.
Charles Hedrick, Editor, WHEN FAITH MEETS REASON, RELIGION
SCHOLARS REFLECT ON THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS
Such
diversity!
Herman Hesse, THE JOURNEY TO THE
EAST
If you are on a
spirit journey don’t lose your violin or snub your canine
friends.
Friedrich Heer, THE MEDIEVAL WORLD
A passionate
portrait of the so-called ‘dark ages.’
A lot of ferment and innovation was happening!
Nikos Kazantzakis, REPORT TO GRECO
A bubbling vat
of sensual experience, intellectual ideas and spirit wisdom is captured in this
autobiography.
Nikos Kazantzakis, THE SAVIORS OF GOD, SPIRITUAL
EXERCISES
The
distillation of a life’s spiritual odyssey. Moving, powerful and poetic, very
inspirational. May be out of
print.
Ocatavio Paz, THE LABYRINTH OF SOLITUDE, LIFE AND
THOUGHT IN MEXICO
Somewhat dated,
but a ‘must read’ if you are planning a trip to Mexico.
T.
Harry Williams, HUEY
LONG
The best
biography of Huey. Saint or
demagogue? The chapter on how the first woman Senator in the US was elected on
her own right is a marvelous description.
William Dale Jennings, THE RONIN
Based on a zen
myth, you won’t be able to put it down.
Are you looking for results in life? This will give you pause. A must
read! May be very hard to
find.
Robert Bly, THE
LITTLE BOOK ON THE HUMAN SHADOW
Jungian
psychology 101.
Robert W. Funk, HONEST TO JESUS
‘The Book’
summarizing NT criticism by the leading scholar behind the Jesus
Seminar.
Frank Herbert, DUNE
Missional
discipline, the Order and environmental stewardship in one SF
potboiler!
Robert W. Funk and Roy W. Hoover, THE FIVE GOSPELS, THE SEARCH FOR THE
AUTHENTIC WORDS OF JESUS
The summary of
the work of the Jesus Seminar. What
did Jesus really say?
Herman Hesse, SIDDARTHA
The Buddha’s
life story.