We Are What We Read . . .

As part of Christianity Today's on-going reflection upon American evangelicalism, comes a list of the 50 books (written after World War II) which have done the most to shape modern evangelicalism.  If this list is correct, it is no wonder that evangelicalism is in the sorry shape that it is.  While there are some real gems on this list (from Lewis, Packer, Schaeffer, Piper), some are not "gems" at all (and are more like dirt clods).  As you can tell, neither Mere Christianity nor Knowing God is number one on this list.  Click here: The top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals - Christianity Today Magazine

Comments

[Timinator]

Not as bad a list as I would have suspected. I work at the house of Bibles and would say that this list is light on theology. Yes I say the Piper, Packer, Schaeffer and Stott books on the list, but did not see a systemiac theology. Just a thought about the top ten list should have included:
10) Schaeffer--How should we then live
9) John Piper--Desering God
8) J.I.Packer--Knowing God
7) F. F. Bruce--Canon of Scripture
6) Robert G. Clouse--The Meaning of the Millennium
5) Martin Luther--Bondage of the Will
4) John Calvin--Institues of Christian religion
3) Graeme Goldsworthy--the Goldworthy Trilogy: Gospel and the Kingdom, Gospel and Wisdom, The Gospel in Revelation
2) Louis Berkhof--Systematic Theology
1) ESV Reference Bible or Reformation Study Bible

Just a few books which I see customers buy and say that they were helpfull or that they changed their views after reading some of these books.

If you have a different apponion lets hear it?

[turmeric]

I can't get the link to work but R.C. Sproul's Holiness of God should be on that list. The Revolution has only begun!

[Kymanika]

Owen's "The Mortification of Sin" should be #1. But, then I was a Christian for 15 years before I even heard of it. Few books have dropped me to my knees a few times a chapter.

["lee n. field"]

Yet another apalling "50 most christian" list, the usual mixed bag. Of the listed books (looking back over 30 years, and counting things I know I've read but have no recollection of their contents) a total of 8.

Good books last. Bad books are (usually) forgotten. It shouldn't surprise us if much of the old stuff that we have (like Owen. Like Warfield, and Calvin, Luther, etc.) is good, or that much of what we see now in this list is ephemeral fluff. Beyond possibly Bonhoeffer, I don't expect any of the books on the CT list to be read in another century.

Maybe I'm somewhat disconnected from evangelicalism, but I don't recognize a good half the people on the list of nominators. Of those names I recognize, I don't pay any attention to a good number of them.

(And somebody tell them that it's "Carl F. H. Henry", not "F. H. Henry". He was editor of CT, back in the day, wasn't he?)

[Timinator]

Lee N. Field
Did you not see C. S. Lewis Mere Christianity, John Piper Desiring God,J. I. Packer Knowing God, Francis A. Schaeffer The God Who is There and F. F. Bruce new Testament Documents are they Reliable.

I would argue that these books are going to be here for a long time and read by millions of new readers are they are classics and even non christians well pick up Lewis's Mere Christianity.

Even though I see alot of average evangelical books our simple books on that list I did see 16 books which were good for reading depending on what you want to read. Take Corrie Ten Boom the Hidding Place; classic in it's own right recounts Corries WWII Experience as a Jew in the Holocast.

[zrim]

to quote a highly useful "riddlebargerism", evangelicalism is a stew-like phenomenon: you get a bit of everything. and i would append: you don't know ehere the over-cooked carrot ends and the meat begins.

it goes to show just how radically confused, aimless evangelicalism really is. and it is why i say, "get out whilst you can and pursue a confessionally reformed way. let evangelicalism go down the tubes just like its Liberal predecessors."

zrim

[Wayne Rohde]

Ironically, just two days ago I came up with (and wrote down) the two dozen or so books that had significantly impacted my life - not necessarily the best books of all time, but the ones God has used in my life in an especially meaningful way.

Included were some commentaries (Murray and Moo on Romans), some theologies (Grudem in general, Leon Morris and John Stott on the cross/atonement, Ware and Packer and others on divine sovereignty), even some eschatological works (Hoekema in general, Riddlebarger on the millennial issue)! I also noted books on Christian living such as Piper's "Future Grace" and Schreiner and Caneday's "The Race Set Before Us."

Too bad that so few Christians do much reading; too bad that of the ones who do an even smaller percentage fails to read anything of substance and solidity and significance.

(In the process of noting the books that had a profound impact on my head and my heart, I also briefly noted that I'd come across my share of lemons - the prize being LaHaye's nonfictional (but fiction nevertheless) "No Fear of the Storm." In the opinion of many, Geisler's "Chosen, But Free" is a prime example of shoddy writing (and I agree, it is!); but if one wants an example of some of the most horrific "reasoning" ever, just look at any page in "No Fear of the Storm." It's guaranteed to make your head spin.)

[Wayne Rohde]

In yet another irony, I just bought a copy of "The Late Great Planet Earth" at a used bookstore three days ago.

My reason? To get it off the shelf!

["lee n. field"]

"Did you not see C. S. Lewis Mere Christianity, John Piper Desiring God,J. I. Packer Knowing God, Francis A. Schaeffer The God Who is There and F. F. Bruce new Testament Documents are they Reliable."

Yes I saw them. I stand by my prediction (though I don't expect to be there to see it). I'm not saying (me genoito!) that the books you mentioned are bad books. But, in a hundred years there will be other people, with other good books. I don't expect people's historical myopia to get any better.

How many books can you name from the period 1850-1900?

In my own library, James Denney's _Death of Christ_ may date to then (it's certainly fragile enough), Warfield (again, I'd have to check dates) and a Greek-English New Testament (Revised English Version with Wescott and Hort's text on the facing page, and when's the last time you've seen that version of the English Bible?) date from that period. That's it.

"Ironically, just two days ago I came up with (and wrote down) the two dozen or so books that had significantly impacted my life"

I wish I could find it in my stuff, or even remember the title.... Back around 1977 or so, a basic primer on Calvinism I bought on a whim at the local Christian bookstore. It systamitized a lot of things that had been knocking around in my head, and got me started on the right path.

------------------------------------
Proofreading -- in my post this: "Of the listed books (looking back over 30 years, and counting things I know I've read but have no recollection of their contents) a total of 8." makes no sense and should read "Of the listed books (looking back over 30 years, and counting things I know I've read but have no recollection of their contents) I have read a total of 8."

[Lane Keister]

Hello, Kim. My name is Lane Keister. I am a PCA pastor in ND (the only PCA pastor in ND). I greatly appreciate your blog, and have read Modern Ref for some time. I have added your blog as a link on my blog, which is greenbaggins.wordpress.com

I would be honored if you would check it out. Thanks, Lane Keister

[A-Fraud]

How 'bout them Yankees?

[Kymanika]

Lane, thanks for your response. I enjoyed and have added your blog to my blog roll.

-Josh

[Keith Conley]

how'd the Yankees do the other day? grin :)

[Michael A. Vickers]

Link is here:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/october/23.51.html

[Anthony]

"Damned Yankees"

The Top Ten should definitely include:

Matthew Henry's Whole Commentary on the Bible

B.B. Warfield's The Person and Work of Christ

Turretin's Institutes of Elenctic Theology

A Case for AMil by KR!!!

The Sovereignty of God by AW Pink

and the like...

[PT2]

I just can't believe that Christy's on the list!! How could that be in the top fifty books that has shaped evangelicalism?!

[timinator]

A-Fraud and Keith Conley
What does baseball have to do with this topic.

"lee n. field" I hear you but can't agree with you fully. Look at Pink, Warfield, Turretin and Matthew Henry for example. These books have been around for several years after the writers passing. They are still making an impact and being sought out.

If you mean that a typical evangical reader's well not pay attention to these good autor's them you are Probably right. Don't count out those indivuals who are seeking for deeper understanding of God's Word or the University student who is studying to be a pastor or evangelist/missionary. In less universities like Westminster or Fuller close there doors many students well be seeking the good books as you call it.

God works in mysterious ways. I first picked up Ursinus-Heidelberg Commentary Published in 1852. This one set of creeds have made a big impact on my life. I don't see Ursinus book going out of print.

[Lane Keister]

Indeed, one of the big problems I have with the list is its (what C.S. Lewis would call) chronological snobbery. Why would a new book have more influence on today's readers than an old one? Admittedly, people read new books more than they read old books. But hey, the Bible is old. Calvin is old, Matthew Henry is old, Keil and Delitzsch is old, etc. etc. These have had a far greater influence on modern evangelicalism *through the influence of who they immediately influenced.* You don't know how many commentators have read Calvin and been influenced by him. Almost any commentator worth his salt has read Calvin. So, the issue becomes very much more complicated when one considers that there is secondary influence of this nature. If that is the way of things, then I think Calvin's Institutes is number 1.

[A-Fraud]

You're right, timinator...and now the Yankees have nothing to do with the playoffs, either :)

[Chris Coleman]

I was pleased to see Lewis, Packer and Schaffer in the top 5! Much better than I expected! But, the majority of the books listed, I think, accurately explain why "evangelicalism" is the way it is today. I think the list nails it right on the head! You don't have to like all the books on the list, I don't. But, this list is pretty accurate in portarying how "evangelicalism" has been shaped over the past 50 years.

By the way...Its pretty amazing that a Puritan made it into the top 5. Packer's "Knowing God" is based of a series of sermons given by John Owen!

Sorry Yanks:
http://apemantusforum.blogspot.com/2006/10/sorry-yankee-fans.html