The Breadth of Christian Literature

        On November 22nd, 1963, I was sitting in my home room class at Hillcrest High School in Port Arthur, when a classmate rushed into the  room and shouted, "Kennedy's been shot!" I've remembered that date and exactly where I was ever since. But two other men, whom I had never heard of at that time, died that same day—Aldous Huxley and C.S.Lewis. Huxley was a vocal agnostic, but Lewis was a renowned Christian thinker. Being raised in a fundamentalist Christian church, how could I not have known C.S.Lewis?

        Looking back now, I realize that I suffered a great loss, at least as far as C.S. Lewis is concerned, and I don’t want that to happen again to anyone. His book, The Lion, the

Witch and the Wardrobe is a wonderful picture of Christ’s substitution for us, and in a way that a child can see. Mere Christianity has led many to Christ. And the essays in God in the Dock lead on to some thrilling insights into theology.

        Another positive change for me was to hear the exact words of Scripture set to music—Handel’s Messiah—breath-taking and worship-making!

        The list of books goes on: Knowing God by J.I.Packer helped bring a friend back from a life of discontent and disillusionment. Basic Christianity by John R.W.Stott was so direct that I wondered how anyone could read it and not become a Christian on the spot! And his book on The Cross of Christ is a monumental classic.

        Moving into current times, take a look at some of Timothy Keller’s works: He names his books in apparently paradoxical ways, but their insights into evangelism and Christian growth are priceless: The Prodigal God, The Reason for God, and Generous Justice.

        If you’re looking for some clear, informed thinking on science, John Lennox delivers: Seven Days That Divide the World, and God’s Undertaker.  Alister McGrath is another writer on church history and science: Knowing Christ, and The Dawkins Delusion?.

        The list could go on and I’ve hardly even touched on fiction. I have to admit that my reading tastes aren’t very wide-ranging. Let me mention one final author whom I have very much enjoyed:  Lee Strobel and his books and videos: The Case for Christ, The Case for Faith, The Case for a Creator.

        The upshot of all these lists is that there is wonderful spiritual blessing to be had from the great literature of many, if not most, Christian traditions. Praise God for everything that Augustine, Luther, Calvin, the Puritans, Bunyan, and many others have left for us to read.