The Liberty of Obedience
by Elisabeth Elliot
This book explores the deeper meaning behind spiritual obedience to God, and how it is not limiting but liberating. Elisabeth Elliot draws on her experiences living with the Aucas native tribe to strip away all the distractions of American culture and all the social rules that we mistake for God’s rules. When you consider only the instructions of the Bible, obedience to those instructions becomes very simple and joyful.
Continue reading
From Plato to Christ: How Platonic Thought Shaped the Christian Faith
by Louis A. Markos
The philosophy of Plato prepared the way for Christianity to be widely accepted in the ancient world. Socrates and Plato had a way of asking the right questions, even if they didn’t know the true answers that can be found in the Bible. Their philosophy points the way for a searching soul to find the truth of Christ. There are some spiritual things that are well-known to all of creation in general revelation, and Plato used that limited knowledge to formulate his own ideas about virtue and spiritual life. His philosophy directly reflects and leads to the specific revelation of truth in the person of Christ.
Continue reading
The Mind of the Maker
by Dorothy L. Sayers
Dorothy Sayers explores the intricacies of the creative mind, connecting how our creativity functions with how the Creator God also works within the Trinity. She examines the nature of art and why mankind feels the urge to create, just as God created us. We ask questions about life and death, free will, and what it means to be created in the “image of God”.
Continue reading
The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses
by C.S. Lewis
This collection of essays from C.S. Lewis includes “The Weight of Glory”, which explores humanity’s innate desire for God. The essay says that the ultimate reward for a Christian is, not just to know God, but to be known by God. To be acknowledged and to receive approval from the Creator is the very essence of “glory”. Lewis talks from his own experience about how one of the most awful human experiences is to be ignored as if you did not matter, but to be noticed and invited in and welcomed as one who belongs is the highest happiness. We are not only to delight in our own glorious fellowship with God, but to also delight in the glory of our fellow human souls. Appreciating God and enjoying His Presence is the ultimate goal and design for every soul.
Continue reading
George MacDonald
by George MacDonald (edited by C.S. Lewis)
4.5 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading through this anthology of MacDonald quotes, compiled by C.S. Lewis. It definitely gives you an insight into how MacDonald influenced and inspired Lewis.
God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics
by C.S. Lewis, Walter Hooper (Editor)
This collection of essays and letters from C.S. Lewis covers a wide range of topics, including Christmas traditions, miracles, vivisection, morality, dogma, and prayer.
He talks about how a God who is good can allow pain in the world, briefly summarizing concepts from his book “The Problem of Pain.” He talks about the common man of his day and their objections or misunderstandings that keep them from believing in Christ. He talks about the decline of religion in Britain, and the Christian truths hidden in pagan mythology. He answers questions, refutes common mistakes of his contemporaries, and responds to criticisms from his fellow intellectuals.
This book examines the attributes of God and how we can truly know God in a personal way. It begins by outlining the type of attitudes we should have in approaching God with humility and a desire to know the truth. The second part of the book focuses on the attributes of God in His unchanging Triune nature- His majesty, wisdom, love, grace, wrath, truth, judgement, goodness, and jealousy. The last part of the book applies all these things to the Christian life, and gives us a practical look at what knowing God actually looks like in living out your life.
Continue reading
The Abolition of Man
by C.S. Lewis
4 out of 5 stars
Lewis shows the implications of the philosophical ideas that emotions are crude and invalid, and only “reason” should dictate our actions. Reason without emotion is unreality, and even if it were true it would only lead to the abolition of mankind. Lewis attacks the issue from several angles, debunking popular arguments that the purest form of reason is our instincts, or that benevolent actions can be found through pursuing “science” as the best moral compass for mankind to follow.
Lewis proves that moral absolutes do exist and that they are universal through all generations and cultures throughout all of time. These moral absolutes appeal to both our reason and our emotions, and you cannot cut them out of a person’s life without destroying that person. There are basic truths that are self-evident and omnipresent in all mankind.
Continue reading
Robot Jesus and Three Other Jesuses You Never Knew
by Kyle R. Beshears
3 out of 5 stars
This book examines the person of Jesus and what various cults and religions around the world believe about Him. Some believe that Jesus is just another angel or a human prophet. The author presents the true Jesus, and debunks the false beliefs that Jesus is not truly God.
The chapters are designed to equip the reader with knowledge about what different cults believe and how to talk with people and answer their questions about the true nature of the Trinity and the person of Jesus Christ.
DNF at 41%
I think the premise of this book is really good. The execution just wasn’t quite what I was looking for. As far as I could tell, the theology in this book is sound and correct and rooted in canonical Bible Scripture.
Luminous Libro 