My July Newsletter has big news: I am now the Assistant Executive Director for CSFPA. This is a pretty cool and very humbling new job with plenty of new responsibilities, as well as carrying over a lot of the old responsibilities. In addition to working with the students at Penn State Berks (and Penn State … Continue reading July News and What I’m Reading
Authentic Christianity by Peter Watts (Review)
Authentic Christianity by Peter Watts is a delightful, readable and thoughtful book about what it means to be a Christian. Of course, everyone has some impression of what it means to be a Christian. There are multitudes of books, podcasts, articles and such out there on this. Everyone has an opinion, and you can probably … Continue reading Authentic Christianity by Peter Watts (Review)
Why You Should Read The Dresden Files: Fantasy Literature and Deep Reading (with help from Origen and CS Lewis!)
“When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up” … Continue reading Why You Should Read The Dresden Files: Fantasy Literature and Deep Reading (with help from Origen and CS Lewis!)
Recent Reads: Natural Theology, Religion, The Modern World,and More
I suppose reading is like exercise: the more you do, the better you get. It also helps to barely watch TV. All that to say, I feel like I've already read a lot of books this year. Here are a few, with links to my Goodreads reviews: Rebecca's Children: Judaism and Christianity in the Roman … Continue reading Recent Reads: Natural Theology, Religion, The Modern World,and More
My 2018 Book Awards!
Favorite Classic - Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. This one made my top ten list of all time and is absolutely a brilliant must read. Favorite Spiritual Classic - New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton. I also ended up making the list of my favorites of all time. Tremendously challenging. Favorite Enjoyable … Continue reading My 2018 Book Awards!
#3 – A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving (My 100 Favorite Books)
First of all, this book is a piece of brilliant writing and fantastic story-telling. It is easy to fall in love with the diminutive and irreverent Owen Meany. John Irving is a great writer, though as I note that, I realize I've only read one of his other books. Perhaps I should check out his … Continue reading #3 – A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving (My 100 Favorite Books)
#9 – Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (My 100 Favorite Books)
CS Lewis is definitely one of my favorite authors of all time. His Narnia series was one of the first books I remember reading that gripped me and instilled a love of reading in me. Over the years I've read many of his books and am impressed by how wide-ranging the subjects are that he … Continue reading #9 – Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (My 100 Favorite Books)
#10 – The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien (My 100 Favorite Books)
This book was Tolkien's life's work. It was not released until after his death, put together by his son Christopher. I call it the Old Testament of Middle Earth. While it is not as exciting as the Hobbit, or even as fast-paced as Lord of the Rings (which is itself a bit slow at times) … Continue reading #10 – The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien (My 100 Favorite Books)
#11 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (My 100 Favorite Books)
The Harry Potter series is a modern classic. There have been other books since that were incredibly popular (Twilight, The Hunger Games), but I'd argue that none of them will have the staying power that I predict Harry Potter will. The series is entertaining and imaginative. One of the best things is the way it … Continue reading #11 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (My 100 Favorite Books)
#17 – Confessions by Augustine (My 100 Favorite Books)
"Our hearts are restless till they find rest in you." If you're a Christian, or someone who has read Christian books, or even just spiritual books perhaps, you've probably heard this phrase. It is from Confessions, the autobiography of Augustine, the bishop of Hippo in North Africa in the 400s. Augustine was the most influential … Continue reading #17 – Confessions by Augustine (My 100 Favorite Books)
