Ship of Fools: Best, simple Introduction to Christianity

Thread: Best, simple Introduction to Christianity Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :

I need me a simple (yet wise), readable (for the non-academic) introduction to orthodox Christianity in the Anglican tradition for 17- 25 year olds.

I'm thinking Simply Christian by NT Wright and Tokens of Trust: An Introduction to Christian Belief by Rowan Williams but am worried both might be a bit too high brow for my audience.

Are they readable for the un-churched, non-academic, yet interested young person?

Any other suggestions?

TIA.

Posted by Ahleal V (# 8404) on :

I read CS Lewis' Mere Christianity as (an admittedly bookish) 16yr old and found it ok?

'Why Christianity Makes Sense' by John Pritchard could be an option. 'Unapologetic' by Francis Spufford could be one for the more pugilistic teen.

My first option would be 'This is Our Faith' by Jeffrey John, published by Redemptorist Press.

x

AV

[ 17. May 2014, 12:06: Message edited by: Ahleal V ]

Posted by Yonatan (# 11091) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ahleal V:
'Unapologetic' by Francis Spufford could be one for the more pugilistic teen.

They will probably be pleasantly surprised how often the word "fuck" appears!

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

I seriously doubt that the same book(s) will speak to everyone. There is a saying to the effect that in order to reach someone, you have to go where they are.

I think it is worthwhile to compile a list of books with different perspectives, and tell people that if one doesn't help them, they should try another.

Moo

Posted by cliffdweller (# 13338) on :

I have used Simply Christian in a similar context with slightly older students and found it most helpful. As noted above, though, it doesn't scratch everyone's itch-- Wright of course has a unique style of writing that is lovely for some and maddening for others. But it's clear and gives a relatively simple and biblical structure to the whole.

Posted by Oxonian Ecclesiastic (# 12722) on :

While not quite of his tradition, I have always found Vaughan Roberts's 'Turning Points' to be a lively, readable introduction to the Christian faith. Fr Vaughan is the Rector of S. Ebbe's, Oxford.

Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on :

Why do people insist on courses?

Why not just get down and dirty with Luke? Not "What does the Bible mean?" but "What does the Bible mean to me/us today?" "What does it mean to pray for those who hurt me/us?"

Why do we insists on intellectualising and making Christianity an academic thing? Why can we just not grapple with, be in awe of the subtle kingdom teaching and how it flat works in such a broken world?

Today I feel like saying it is just another way of putting God in a box.

Pyx_e

[ 17. May 2014, 16:21: Message edited by: Pyx_e ]

Posted by art dunce (# 9258) on :

Pyx_e I think too few people pick up the Bible to get to know about Jesus. One good part of my fundamentalist childhood is that we spent a lot of time with the Bible.

I recommend Secrets in the Dark by Frederick Buechner when people ask me for a book. It's a compilation of sermons he gave at Philips Exeter Academy to the young men and it is a wonderful book that covers many areas of faith.
He is an excellent story teller and so very accessible while never watering down the gospel. His fiction is great too. Someone gave me the four books of the Book of Bebb as a wedding gift (I thought four paperbacks as a wedding gift?) but read them straight through.

[ 17. May 2014, 16:37: Message edited by: art dunce ]

Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :

A book introduces people to Christian ideas, not to Christianity, which is a faith lived in community.

Posted by gog (# 15615) on :

Might be a little heaver but can suggest two:

Faith Lacking Understanding: Theology 'Through a Glass, Darkly by Randal Raauser. This follows the Apostles Creed as a structure.

The Huumble God: A Basic Course in Christian Doctrine by D. Densil Morgan. the Archbishop of Wales' Lent book in 2006, and recommended for use with conformation classes.

Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Pyx_e:

Why do we insists on intellectualising and making Christianity an academic thing? Why can we just not grapple with, be in awe of the subtle kingdom teaching and how it flat works in such a broken world?

Because you can't grapple with subtle kingdom teaching and how it works if you haven't the faintest idea what it is.

The young woman in question (who I want to give an intro to) has had no religious instruction in Christianity bar a few months of a cooky charismatic sect that taught her she would have a microchip embedded in her body that would help pay for everything in the world when Jesus came again and that this idea was biblically justifiable.

I'm attempting to straighten out a few ridiculous knots.

Posted by Beeswax Altar (# 11644) on :

Are you sure?

The microchip is the mark of the beast. Receiving the microchip is to sacrifice your very soul. Either she or her Australian charismatic sect got it backwards.

Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :

How do people dream up this shit?

Was an Indonesian sect in the middle of Borneo as it happens. Frickin weirdoes get everywhere.

Posted by Eutychus (# 3081) on :

I'll see your allegations and raise you a debate.

Posted by deano (# 12063) on :

It's quite dated now, but The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis is quite straightforward.

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :

I think my best introduction to Christianity when I was a child was my Sunday School teacher. She was a loving and gentle woman with a heart of gold and a core of Steel.

Thank-you Mrs Stevenson.

Huia

Posted by TheAlethiophile (# 16870) on :

In what may be a first, I find myself in agreement with Mousethief. Christianity is more than a set of ideas.

A book is good for a book person, but it won't help all people. For some, the best introduction to christianity may be to sit down and talk with a good minister over a cup of tea or a decent ale.

If someone does like books, I'll usually ask what their 'bent' is and try to recommend something appropriate. So do they come because they are investigating what they might refer to as 'spirituality'? Are they coming from a philosophical background? Do they have doubts concerning how christianity is compatible with science?

Finding where someone is coming from is usually a decent method of helping them find where they are going.

Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :

A simple version is available from BBC Schools. It is brief, it is fairly accurate and I recognise the religion there. This cannot be said of another BBC website.

Jengie

Posted by Belle Ringer (# 13379) on :

Among my friends in that age group, smart people almost ignorant of Christianity, a comic book format would be devoured. Really. I'm amazed how many 40 year olds LOVE comic format books and video cartoons.

(There exists a comic book style version of the Bible but it is not well done - two artists alternated, so for example Moses alternates between being an old man with a long grey beard and a middle aged man with a trim black beard, which made the story hard for me to follow in spite of knowing the story, because I didn't realize for a while these two very different men were the same man.)

So I second Screwtape Letters. And Gospel of Luke. Stories with visual imagery and emotional impacts are remembered far longer and better than exposition.

Then move to a more academically worded organized theology introduction for beginners.

Posted by StevHep (# 17198) on :

Well, Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton is a fun read and is also a free ebook so if it doesn't take what have you lost?

Also although Catholic the apologetics of Ronald Knox are very English (not Anglican but Angelic) In Soft Garments being his most popular piece.

Posted by Garasu (# 17152) on :

In Quaker terms, I'm wondering whether you're thinking of George Fox's
Journal, or Robert Barclay's Apology

[ 20. May 2014, 21:57: Message edited by: Garasu ]

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