2017 Reading Challenge discussion

Share your challenge books about religion here.

The Bible. Currently reading the Book of Ezekiel.

The Life You Save May Be Your Own, Paul Elie

by Tova Mirvis

"Religious" is an agreeably indefinite adjective for what might be otherwise an intimidating category. This is a work of fiction that explores the elastic nature of Orthodox Judaism in contemporary Brooklyn, New York and Memphis, Tennessee. I gave it 4 stars for the spot-on characterization of the yearnings of two women entering the years of motherhood to young adults.

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis - simply one of the best, easy-to-read Christian classics by a great author. I could list so many of his books here...The Screw tape Letters, The Great Divorce...but Mere Christianity was originally a radio show during WWII for soldiers that was eventually transcribed to paper. I highly recommend this and any of his writings.

The Practice of the Presence of God.
Spiritual reflection at its best. Can be read a short chapter at a time for many days. Not necessarily for Christians only but for anyone considering a spiritual path.

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.
I dare you to read this. Takes everything you thought you knew about the life of Jesus and challenges it but boils down his message to the basics. Thoughtful, requires the willingness to question.

Jesus the Son of Man. Jesus's ministry as seen from many perspectives and reactions. Interesting, challenging. Deeply spiritual and human at the same time.

Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly. i highly reccomend this book to any Catholic or anyone who is skeptical of Christianity ( granted there are differences in the sects of Christianity but I think parts of this book will speak to non Catholics)

I'm not a religious person, so I had to stretch the boundaries a bit as I don't care to read a non-fiction book about a religion.

I chose: . Very gothic, and it does center around an abbey, a wayward monk, a convent, and nuns. It took me a bit to get in to it, and then I thought it was quite good.

For this category I chose The Wonder by Emma Donoghue. This book could also fall under "a book about health or medicine," "a book set in a different country," (Ireland) "a book recommended to me," (it came up in my book club) "a book by an author I've never read before," "a book from the 1800s," and you get the point. I chose this category because I was really fascinated with the idea of how religion affected society's view of various shortfalls in an individual and the idea that this child's mother would place her family's reputation over the health of her own child (which was mind-blowing to me).

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship" - written in prison right before he was martyred in WWII. This is an exceptional book told by a man who gave his all to Jesus. This will make you feel extremely humbled and convicted. He has a way of bringing the truth to light, and does not mince words. However, this is pretty dense, and not an easy read. Still, expect your life to be changed.

A Baxter Family Christmas
I did not know this was Christian fiction when I picked it up at a thrift store this Christmas. This is not a genre that I typically read and for me it was slightly overboard but still had a heartfelt message.