Books

My Top 5 Fiction Books for the Soul

The Way of a Pilgrim Anonymous

The protagonist discovers the Jesus Prayer on his quest across 19th-century Russia to learn to pray continually. He shows us a way of praying that saturates our lives without taking time away from our routine activities.

* * *

Hannah Coulter Wendell Berry

This book celebrates the “old ways” of living, in which God, family, community, and “place” are central. You leave it more likely to find contentment in the ordinary and to honor the relationships you’ve been given.

* * *

The Pilgrim’s Progress John Bunyan

You cannot help but see yourself in the struggles and victories of Christian, the main character. Bunyan understood the lure of false gospels such as legalism, and provided a helpful mirror in which to see our own struggles.

* * *

In This House of Brede Rumer Godden

This is a masterfully written story of a 40-something woman with a successful government career who enters an English Benedictine monastery. It sounds a call to holiness that reminds us that we all have tools for spiritual growth at our disposal.

* * *

The Chosen Chaim Potok

This is a compelling story of friendship between two deeply devout Jewish young men—one “liberal” and one “conservative”—that helps us see what it means to have spiritual integrity and yet compassionately and respectfully engage with friends of differing faiths.

James Wilhoit is professor of Christian Education at Wheaton College.

Copyright © 2009 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Previous Top 5 lists have featured managing your money, devotionals, how character shapes belief, food, Atheism, China, Presidents, World Christianity, Ancient-Future Faith, the Civil Rights Era, Social Justice, Church History, Popular Culture, the Civil War, Apologetics, Atheism, and Sex.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

Sci-Fi's Brave New World

News

California's Temper Tantrum

Reverence for the Mystery

Review

Novel Teachers

Searching for Radical Faith

Praying 'Thy Kingdom Come ...'

Q&A: Louie Giglio

News

Yechiel Eckstein: Evangelicals’ Favorite Rabbi

Editorial

Who Do You Think You Are?

Review

Making Movies to Change the World

CDs on The List

Review

Live: Hope at the Hideout

Cartoon

Cartoon of the Month

Bibliophiles We

Meager Harvest

Books Uncommon and Offbeat

News

Political Exile

Memo to Worship Bands

Review

Learning from Secular Nations

News

Quotation Marks

News

Smuggling Debate

2009 Christianity Today Book Awards

News

Gas-Powered Gospels

News

Get 'Lost'

News

Atheists' Outreach

News

News Briefs: February 01, 2009

News

Passages

News

Go Figure

Bush's Faith-Based Legacy

News

Fault Line of Faith

News

Prosperity Gospel on Skid Row

News

Readers Write

News

Stocks Squeeze Seminaries

View issue

Our Latest

News

Where Are the Great Brazilian Christmas Carols?

Christian music industry is booming in the country, but at Christmastime, congregations are singing the oldies.

News

Ghana May Elect Its First Muslim President. Its Christian Majority Is Torn.

Church leaders weigh competency and faith background as the West African nation heads to the polls.

Shamanism in Indonesia

Can Christians practice ‘white knowledge’ to heal the sick and exorcize demons?

Shamanism in Japan

Christians in the country view pastors’ benedictions as powerful spiritual mantras.

Shamanism in Taiwan

In a land teeming with ghosts, is there room for the Holy Spirit to work?

Shamanism in Vietnam

Folk religion has shaped believers’ perceptions of God as a genie in a lamp.

Shamanism in the Philippines

Filipinos’ desire to connect with the supernatural shouldn’t be eradicated, but transformed and redirected toward Christ.

Shamanism in South Korea

Why Christians in the country hold onto trees while praying outdoors.

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