Favorite Reads from 2022
I know we have some avid readers at Foundry Church, and I thought it would be a fun conversation starter to share some of my favorite [extrabiblical] books from the last year.
Which book entertained me the most?
This was a close race, but the winner for me was Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (who wrote All the Light We Cannot See). Following the plot is like navigating a maze, but towards the end we see several stories creatively interwoven, emphasizing a biblical truth rooted in Psalm 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad it in it!” I was enchanted by each of the book’s narratives, which spanned several hundred years from the Holy Roman Empire to decades into the future. And, like the Bible, ultimately all the characters and stories are connected beautifully.
Interestingly, Doerr was influenced by C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books, and his Catholic background slips into his books, even though he writes from a nonbiblical point of view (caution: a homosexual relationship is prominent in CCL). I enjoy Doerr’s writing style and imagination, and those of you who enjoy dark themes with glimmers of hope will likely enjoy the book like I did.
Which book challenged me the most?
Another book drawing from biblical themes but not written from a Christian perspective, The Psychology of Totalitarianism by Mattias Desmet came recommended to me by multiple family members. The dreadful title made me want to avoid it, but from page one I was hooked.
Desmet essentially blames modern science and “mechanistic” thinking for many of today’s problems, including loneliness, lack of meaning, anxiety, and ultimately the desire to relinquish God-given rights. His explanation is difficult to refute and even echoes much of C.S. Lewis’s apologetics in Miracles.
This book is a great discussion starter, and Desmet’s expertise in psychology, hypnosis, and statistics gave my skepticism a run for its money. I would recommend this book to anyone who either leans toward a conspiracy-theory mindset or wonders why the world responded to the coronavirus pandemic the way it did.
Which book grew my faith the most?
Every Friday morning, I meet with a great group of guys to discuss books that challenge our faith. This year we covered Ben Hur, Romans, Miracles, Revelation, and the one that challenged my faith the most, Confessions, by Augustine of Hippo.
Written over 1600 years ago, modern translators have made this classic feel like a modern autobiography. Augustine courageously shares his deepest doubts, sins, and struggles, and we learn that without his mother praying for him, he might have followed worldly philosophies instead of shaping Western Christianity.
I was encouraged reading how prayer, sin, temptation, and spiritual growth look the same now as they did in the early days of Christianity. Jesus was just as personal to an ancient Catholic convert as he is to me now.
Now your turn! Send your comments, questions and snide remarks to blog@foundrybend.org. I would love to hear what you enjoyed reading in 2022. Here is to a new year of great books!
