The Pastor’s Bookshelf
Pastor Aaron’s Bookshelf
American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church, by Andrew L. Whitehead
Georgetown College and CBF Kentucky frequently sponsor reading groups for pastors, and American Idolatry is our current read. I’m deeply curious to see how Whitehead blends his social science expertise with his personal faith commitments in this important analysis of our contemporary theological and political crisis.
Becoming by Beholding: The Power of the Imagination in Spiritual Formation, by Lanta Davis
One of the biggest gaps in my own education was a theology of aesthetics. Lanta Davis is working to fix that by demonstrating how the images we look at regularly have the power to shape (or deform) our spiritual lives.
Lord, Teach Us: The Lord’s Prayer and the Christian Life, by William H. Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas
I picked this up because I thought it was a resource on prayer (every pastor’s most-requested topic), but it turned out to be a holistic primer on Christian life, with the Lord’s Prayer as a helpful jumping-off point/organizational tool. Like the authors, the book is bold and insightful, a solid read for anyone looking to brush up on the basics of Christianity.
Dragon, by Saladin Ahmed and Dave Acosta
I’ve been meaning to tackle this graphic novel for years (it was the first Kickstarter I ever backed!), and the time is finally right for a tale of nuns, janissaries, and vampires all penned by one of my favorite comic book writers, Saladin Ahmed.
The Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People Who No Longer Need a God, by Andrew Root
I think Andrew Root (and the Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor, whom he is interpreting), has his finger on the pulse of the most important cultural issues facing the church today. Root’s work on secularism and the challenges of ministry remind me that I’m not alone in this confusing moment, but also inspire me to remember that there is plenty at stake for the church even in a secular age.
Dungeon Master’s Guide (2024), by Chris Perkins et al
Wizards of the Coast updated the rules to Dungeons and Dragons last year as part of the game’s 50th anniversary celebration, and a committed dungeon master has to stay up to date! I like its deep commitment to educating new DMs and the new rules for building and upgrading bases. Anyone up for an adventure in Greyhawk soon?
Pastor Jackson’s Bookshelf
The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom, by L.S. Dugdale
If you’re a human like me, you’ve either experienced the death of a loved one or will in the future - including your own personal death. In this book, Dugdale helps to remind us that death is a real thing that we’ve tried so hard to eliminate from our lives, but always failing to do so. By taking the wisdom of our ancestors and long-forgotten tradition, we are able to revive the practices and art of having a good death. This is a must-read for mortals!
The 1662 Book of Common Prayer: International Edition, by Samuel L. Bray et al.
For a while now, I have been tired of trying new things, so I decided to try something old. If you like the beautiful King James language of the 17th century, this is filled with it. Without putting you to sleep with church history, this book and it’s prayers are steeped in the historic and universal Christian tradition for protestants, catholics, and everything in-between! Warning: this thing has a lot of patriarchal language in it (surprise, surprise!).
What Is the Bible?: How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel About Everything, by Rob Bell
The Bible can be a tough nut to crack - especially if you grew up in a church tradition that taught some dangerous things about it. In this book, Rob Bell delivers a simple and clear message about how the complex library of books we call the Bible can transform your life and dare each of us to think differently about the ways in which we live. This is an easy (and interesting) read!
Shameless: A Case for Not Feeling Bad About Feeling Good (About Sex) by Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber
Let me first say that Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber has been a God-send for my spiritual journey and my walk with the Lord. Her ability to be her true self without regard for what other folks think is so helpful and empowering. This is one of her many books that are powerful and inspiring for each of us who have lived in shame and guilt over our sexuality and identity.
Creed, by Rev. Adam Hamilton
If you’re in my Sunday school class, you remember that we once did a study with materials designed based on this very book. In Creed, Pastor Adam Hamilton helps us drop all of the baggage we’ve held in our faith and go back to the basics with the Apostles’ Creed. If you have no clue what a creed is or why it is important to our faith, this is a good read for you. If you want to explore the basic tenets of Christian doctrine, this is also good for you.
Context: Putting Scripture in Its Place, by Josh Scott
Another Sunday school text! There are so many scriptures that my childhood church taught me to be able to rattle off with no questions asked. I knew them backwards and forwards, but certainly couldn’t tell you a thing about who wrote them and why. In Context, Pastor Josh Scott does a wonderful job at showing us the context for common Bible stories and scriptures - and often challenging our preconceived notions along the way. This one is a wonderful and very easy read for anyone looking to grow closer in their relationship with God through scripture.