Love Books — Staff Picks for February Part 2

Our staff picks for the second part of February are on the theme of love and relationships.

Ed suggests The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman because it is about showing love in relationships.

Cindy recommends The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller because if you are married, you should know the meaning of marriage.

Heather is reading Works of Love by Soren Kierkegaard because Carolyn had it as a staff pick so many times she decided to see what the fuss is about.

Carolyn recommends It’s Not You: 27 (wrong) Reasons You’re Single by Sara Eckel because she thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and thinks all of you should read it too. Well, what she actually said was this:

“You’re too picky. You’re desperate. It comes when you’re not looking for it. You need to put yourself out there more. When you’re single, it seems like everyone (including you!) wants to know the reason why… and wants to tell you how to fix the problem. New York Times journalist Sara Eckel sifts through the well-meaning but often hurtful and contradictory love advice dished out to singles by friends and family, delivering a message that is refreshing and freeing: maybe there’s nothing particularly wrong with us, maybe we just haven’t found love yet.”

Sheila suggests The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis. Lewis, Love, how can you really go wrong? Sheila describes the book this way: “C. S. Lewis examines different kinds of love: Loves for the Sub-Human, Affection, Friendship, Eros, and Charity. He argues that all must be grounded in Agape (the love of God) to be expressed fully and rightly.”

Connor chose Eclipse of God by Martin Buber because it is about the RELATIONSHIP between religion and philosophy. (Clever, Connor, clever.)

Finally, Andrew is reading On Marriage and Family Life by St. John Chrysostom. For a class. On Marriage.

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February Staff Picks Part 1: Books We’re Reading for Lent

Cindy is reading God’s Wider Presence: Reconsidering General Revelation by Robert Johnson because she was intrigued by the premise of the book as found in the preface:

“What are we as Christians to make of those occasional encounters with God in our everyday lives that seem more real than everyday reality, more fundamental than everything else? . . . While not having to do with one’s salvation in any direct way, and occurring outside the church and without direct reference to Scripture or to Jesus Christ, such encounters for that is what they are experienced to be, are seen, heard and read as foundational to life.  This book attempts to think constructively—both critically and imaginatively—about such experiences.  What is the inherent value of God’s wider revelation, of experiences of God’s Presence not directly tied to our salvation?  And how are they to be understood theologically?”

Ed is reading Embracing Wisdom: The Summa theologiae as Spiritual Pedagogy by Gilles Mongeau because it is Prof. Mongeau’s newest book.

Heather is (re)reading the Chronicles of Narnia. All of them. Because it is time to revisit Narnia.

Carolyn is reading Forgotten Among the Lilies by Ronald Rolheiser because of a friend’s recommendation. She says “It has been the right book at the right time for me. Rolheiser reminds us that our lives will always hold elements of unfulfillment, both as lack and as excess. This unfulfillment is what propels us toward God, and is a timely theme for Lent.”

Sheila is reading Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Brant Pitre. Sheila says “I am reading this book for Lent because Pitre examines the theme of Christ’s mission as Bridegroom of the Church, inviting his readers to engage in readings from the Old and New Testament as we look at the great mystery of the Passion of Christ.”

Connor is reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis because there’s something humbling about hearing your own flaws presented in such an engaging and comical way.

Andrew is reading The Twenty-Piece Shuffle by Greg Paul. He calls it the best book he’s read in a long time.

How about you? What are you reading for Lent?