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Christianity Today, July, 2008

My Top 5 Books by the Inklings and Friends

Christopher W. Mitchell, director of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College | posted 7/25/2008 10:29AM

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The Wise Woman
(Also titled The Lost Princess)
George MacDonald

The most complete and compelling presentation of human becoming through the transforming work of dying to self.

* * *

Orthodoxy: The Romance of Faith
G. K. Chesterton

Maisie Ward described the book as "Chesterton's own history of his mind." It is that and more: a deeply serious yet enormously playful statement and commentary on ultimate realities.

* * *

The Descent of the Dove: A Short History of the Holy Spirit in the Church
Charles Williams

This is more than history; this is theology with a melody, a vision of the church as the history of God's activity.

* * *

The Tolkien Reader: Stories, Poems, and Commentaries
J. R. R. Tolkien

"On Fairy Stories" and "Leaf By Niggle" embody the heart and soul of Tolkien the man, literary artist, and Christian.

* * *

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
C. S. Lewis

Lewis considered his last work of fiction, Till We Have Faces, his best; that is reason enough to note it. But don't ignore his literary studies, especially The Discarded Image, which expertly instructs while immersing you in the medieval/ Renaissance world.

Related Elsewhere:

Previous Top 5 lists have featured books on China, Presidents, World Christianity, Ancient-Future Faith, the Civil Rights Era, Social Justice, Church History, Popular Culture, the Civil War, Apologetics, Atheism, and Sex.

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July 2008, Vol. 52, No. 7

Comments (5)

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Regifter

July 28, 2008 12:07am

Tolkien: Silmarillion (really the prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy) Lewis: The Great Divorce

Adam

July 27, 2008 6:41am

You must read the The Pilgrim's Regress by Lewis. A wonderful story we all know so well.

Patrick Gann

July 25, 2008 10:36pm

"Til We Have Faces" is far better than the entire Chronicles of Narnia, IMO. Popular doesn't mean best. What Lewis did in writing Til We Have Faces was amazing, and the story is truly powerful. I also agree to Chesterton's "Orthodoxy." :)

John G.

July 25, 2008 3:30pm

Kind of a loose definition of "Inklings and Friends" there! But -- no "Lord of the Rings"? No Narnian Chronicles? No "Phantastes"? No -- Oh, the list could go on and on!

Jim

July 25, 2008 1:25pm

Really?

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