During high school I did not have any direction in life. I was simply wandering, trying to find happiness in the created things of this world.
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Then God touched my heart and showed me that I needed to pursue him in order to find true and lasting happiness. At first I didn’t know where to go, but soon enough I felt that I needed to discover the truth and began devouring books on the truth, beauty and goodness of Christianity.
It has led me to where I am today, giving me a renewed meaning, purpose and direction in my life that I didn’t have before. I would like to share these books (and others) with you that I believe everyone should read to deepen their faith, propelling them to a deeper relationship with God.
What I would like to propose is not your ordinary booklist. Instead of diving right in to apologetics, defending the various teachings of the Church or expounding on difficult passages of scripture, I would like to present a systematic reading list that takes someone on a personal journey that builds upon itself.
This journey is modeled after the modern-day RCIA program (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), which in turn is inspired by an ancient rite of initiation practiced by the early Church.
Essentially it starts at the basics of human thought and begins with the question of God’s existence. It engages the intellect, as well as the heart, and explores the fundamental desires that God has implanted within all of us.
Then it progresses to divine revelation, discovering how God revealed himself to the world and how that impacts our lives.
After delving into revelation, the journey continues into a consideration of the moral life and concludes with a life of prayer that propels us to engage the world in whatever mission God has entrusted to us.
Here are the four stages summarized:
1. Inquiry – Covering the basic questions of life
2. Catechesis – Exploring divine revelation
3. Purification – How revelation impacts the moral life
4. Mystagogy – Diving deeper into prayer, the sacraments and a person’s mission in life
What I am going to do is offer a list of books for each stage on the journey. I personally believe these books will help someone progress in the spiritual life, giving them a renewed meaning, purpose and direction. Ultimately these books summarize what I call the legendary life, and provide a pathway that allows a person to examine their life and confront the desires within their heart.
The books I offer are aimed at the ordinary person who hasn’t had any advanced education in regards to religion. This means that I will try to suggest books at are readable, not drenched in technical philosophical or theological language.
In addition to non-fiction books, I will also suggest fiction stories that captivate the imagination and explore similar ideas and concepts. It is often through stories that we are drawn closer to God and which have a greater impact on us.
Below is an initial list that corresponds to the period of Inquiry. In the next few weeks I will offer individual reviews of these books, explaining what they are, how they impacted my life, and why I believe someone should read them.
A Memory for Wonders: A True Story – Veronica Namoyo Le Goulard
Something Beautiful for God – Malcolm Muggeridge
Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor E. Frankl
Something Other Than God – Jennifer Fulwiler
Letters to an Atheist – Peter Kreeft
Miracles – C.S. Lewis
Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
The Philosophy of Tolkien – Peter Kreeft
Quo Vadis? – Henryk Sinkiewicz
Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength – C.S. Lewis