Hosted by Carol at Journey and Destination

Carol at Journey and Destination is hosting a new challenge – focused on Christian literature!  Though I’ve read Christian classics on-and-off through the years, I’ve been meaning to read more, and this seems like the perfect chance! 

Here is my (overly ambitious) list:

1) A Book on Early Church History
Early Christian Doctrines by J. N. D. Kelly
My mom already has this book, so it’s an obvious choice!

2) A Book About a Prominent Christian Who Was Born Between 500 A.D & 1900
Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses by Régine Pernoud
This is one of the better-rated biographies of Joan out there.  Since childhood I’ve been fascinated by her story, but haven’t yet read anything as in-depth as this is supposed to be.

3) A Christian Allegory
The Pilgrim’s Progress (reread) by John Bunyan

4) A Book on Apologetics
Orthodoxy (reread) by G. K. Chesterton
 
5) A Philosophical Book by a Christian Author
Meditations and Other Metaphysical Writings by René Descartes
I hope this counts.  I honestly know very little about Descartes, hence the desire to read him.  Backup plan: Kierkegaard’s The Sickness unto Death.

6) A Missionary Biography or A Biography of a Prominent Christian
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

7) A Seasonal Book
TBD, but something for Lent.  I found two lists here and here that look interesting.

8) A Novel with a Christian Theme
The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin

9) A Good Old Detective or Mystery Novel
The Innocence of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton

10) A Substitute – choose a book by any of the authors below in place of one of the above categories:
Timothy Keller
A.W. Tozer
Patricia St. John
Jan Karon
Wendell Berry
Edith Schaeffer
Elizabeth Goudge
OR Choose a second book from a category you like
Allegory #2: The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis