If you've never read the Bible before, I heartily recommend the following sections to get a quick picture of the pathos of the story of God's love for people, and all the sex, violence, backstabbing, and selfishness you can handle ... from a translation or version you feel comfortable with (some particularly fresh contemporary English ones are the New Century Version and New Living Translation, or for more literal translations, try the New American Standard or New King James, or the incredible new paraphrase called The Message).
The Gospel of John -- for the run-down on the life of Jesus as seen by one of His closest friends
The Song of Solomon -- for those who still think of God as the cosmic killjoy
The Book of Psalms -- take a peek in the songbook for real life, from pain to revenge to joy
The Book of Hosea -- okay, God, you really want me to marry a hooker?
Learning to dance in grace ...
The Message by Walter Wangerin
On a Hill Too Far Away by John Fisher
Making Real What I Already Believe by John Fisher
12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee by John Fischer
Real Christians Don’t [with "Don’t" crossed out] Dance by John Fischer
True Believers Don’t [with "Don’t" crossed out] Ask Why by John Fischer
What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey
Soul Survivor: How My Faith Survived the Church by Philip Yancey
Addicted to Mediocrity by Frankie Schaeffer
The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
Roaring Lambs by Bob Briner
The Wisdom of Each Other by Eugene Peterson
Defuzzing the picture …
Immanuel by Michael Card
The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey
Reaching for the Invisible God by Philip Yancey
Finding God in Unexpected Places by Philip Yancey
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Alone in the Universe: Aliens, The X-Files & God by David Wilkinson
God, Sex & the Search for Lost Wonder by Mike Starkey
Streetwise Spirituality by Jim Thomas
Coffeehouse Theology by Jim Thomas
The Challenge of Jesus by N.T. Wright
Asking the big questions …
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis
Holy the Firm by Annie Dillard
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
The God Who is There by Francis Schaeffer
He Is There and He Is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer
Escape from Reason by Francis Schaeffer
The Manger Is Empty by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
Living the Questions by Carolyn Arends
Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey
God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It by Jim Wallis
Divine Nobodies: Shedding Religion to Find God by Jim Palmer
Toxic Faith: Experiencing Healing Over Painful Spiritual Abuse by Stephen Arterburn and Jack
Felton
Hungry for Heaven: Rock ‘n’ Roll & the Search for Redemption by Steve Turner
Living by fiction ...
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Lilith by George MacDonald
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
The Girl I Left Behind by Shusaku Endo
The Final Martyrs by Shusaku Endo
Silence by Shusaku Endo
The Brothers Karamazov by Feodor Dostoevsky
Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoevsky
Divine and Human by Leo Tolstoy
Saint Ben by John Fischer
Dark Horse by John Fischer
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Between Heaven and Hell by Peter Kreeft
The Singer by Calvin Miller
Hungry for Heaven: Rock ‘n’ Roll & the Search for Redemption by Steve Turner
Living by fiction ...
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis
Lilith by George MacDonald
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
The Girl I Left Behind by Shusaku Endo
The Final Martyrs by Shusaku Endo
Silence by Shusaku Endo
The Brothers Karamazov by Feodor Dostoevsky
Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoevsky
Divine and Human by Leo Tolstoy
Saint Ben by John Fischer
Dark Horse by John Fischer
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Between Heaven and Hell by Peter Kreeft
The Singer by Calvin Miller
