What book on the subject of Christianity has actually changed your views or your personal theology?

Question

Other than The Holy Bible, What book on the subject of Christianity has actually changed your views or your personal theology?

I am not necessarily asking which books made you into a believer, but rather, are there any books that have made your reshape or reconsider your personal beliefs and your personal theology?

Answer 1

Sorry, but the only book that led me away from Christianity was the Bible. Other bits of research and rationalization added to it. But as far as books go... only the Bible.

Answer 2

"The Jesus Conspiracy" by H. Kersten and E. Gruber. Compelling evidence that the Shroud of Turin is genuine, and that the man wrapped in it was never dead. I received this as a gift from an agnostic friend back when I was in the Pentecostal church. After reading it, I left and never looked back.

"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. An honest look at the phenomena of theism and religion.

"On the Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin. The seminal work on evolution. Sure, it has a few errors (as do all nascent hypotheses), but it has become one of the most well supported theories in the history of science.

Too many biology and geology textbooks to mention. Completely buries creationism and young-earth cosmology.

To name just a few...

Answer 3

Really it was the Bible... I grew up Christian and firmly believed in Jesus being a Savior and the Bible being the inerrant word of God... until I got old enough to really begin studying the Bible in depth (not just reading passages or quoting it) with the mind of an adult. I began to realize that it was not inerrant. I learned that, when comparing it with the Jewish translation of the Torah, that many words were mistranslated and passages misconstrewed. I realized that it was not written by God but by humans expressing what they believed God felt/wanted. Eventually I realized I was no longer Christian and found a path that worked better for me.

Answer 4

Works by contemplatives, a great example being The Cloud of Unknowing, have helped me see the practical parallels between Christian contemplative prayer and Eastern forms of spiritual meditative techniques.

Different theological vocabularies, but often identical experiential practices. Helped me see how the most profound spiritual experiences are quite matter-of-factly before words, thus the theological expressions become songs and poetic voicings of those practical realizations.
.

Answer 5

You can live forever on paradise earth - published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. And a comparative study with secular historical references to find out the history of the origins of particular church doctrines, such as the trinity, hellfire, afterlife, the history of Christmas and other holidays. Most people know these are not Christian in origin but keep adhering to them. When I found that these were unacceptable to my creator, Jehovah, I did not want to displease him so I stopped adhering to those teachings. I wanted to worship him in spirit and truth.

Answer 6

Sir Reginald Marlborough IV,

Excellent question.

Renovation of the Heart by Dallas Willard.

It is a theologically orthodox Christian book that discusses how to be a real apprentice (disciple) of Jesus.

. It is about how to cooperate with God in the changing your character so that it is like Christ's.

. It is about changing one's natural inclinations so that obedience to God comes naturally, not by constant struggle with the one's will power.

. It is about understanding the many ways the World's corruption effects us.

. It is about changing one's "want-to", so that it is in-line with God's.

. It is about changing one's inclinations so that living the life described in the Sermon on the Mount will seem sane and desirable.

. It is solid food for spiritual growth after one comes to a saving faith.

Answer 7

G.K Chesterton's "Orthodoxy"
showed me how much bigger and grander Christianity was than I had ever imagined.

I've recently finished Reinhold Niebuhr's "The Nature and Destiny of Man"; and Karen Armstong's "A History of God." Both of these are challenging works that I'm still incorporating into my own theology.

Peace to you.

Answer 8

Marcus Aurelius.....there is no way a perfect god would ever need blood to wash sins or be pleased with animal blood sacrifices the way the christian god was......no way a perfect god would ever need a hell. A perfect god would be all about unconditional love and endless education.

Answer 9

C.S.Lewis book MERE CHRISTIANITY shared the thought that drove me to Scriptures. I find GREAT CONTROVERSY by E.G.W. to help in understanding how things fit together.

Answer 10

The bible. I burned it in my fireplace and it burned very well. So i found a good use for it.