Book recommendations regarding basic Christian principles

  • Thread starter Thread starter tersteegen
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

tersteegen

Guest
Hello everyone!

I am looking for a book that will explain some basic Christian concepts in a practical, relevant-to-life way.

I am thinking especially of the following topics:
  • God’s Will
  • Free Will
  • Sin
  • Repentance
  • Forgiveness
  • The Devil
  • Obedience
  • Suffering
Is there a single book (preferably concise) that explains these basic things (and others…) and how they relate?
If not one single book, maybe you can reccomend several books on individual topics?

Thank you for any recommendations!
God bless you!
 
Just off the top of my head, I would suggest Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. He had a way of writing that was very thought-provoking, compassionate, and easily understood.
 
Well, you can’t do much better than the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 🙂

The Baltimore Catechism is always good, also anything by Fr. John Hardon.

I’ve given away numerous copies of “The Faith Explained,” by Fr. Leo Trese (Scepter Publishers). It’s both concise & eloquent.

If you have a little more time or $$, check out “This is the Faith: A Complete Explanation of the Catholic Faith,” by Canon Francis Ripley (TAN Books/St. Benedict Press).

I’ve not yet read “Our Moral Life in Christ,” by Fr. Peter Armenio, or “Introduction to Catholicism for Adults,” Fr. James Socias (Scepter Publishers). But both are on my reading list.

God bless!
 
tersteegen said:
Hello everyone!

I am looking for a book that will explain some basic Christian concepts in a practical, relevant-to-life way.

I am thinking especially of the following topics:
  • God’s Will
  • Free Will
  • Sin
  • Repentance
  • Forgiveness
  • The Devil
  • Obedience
  • Suffering
Is there a single book (preferably concise) that explains these basic things (and others…) and how they relate?
If not one single book, maybe you can reccomend several books on individual topics?

Thank you for any recommendations!
God bless you!
Click to expand...
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an excellent resource.

You can even read it online.

Go to google and type in “CCC Sin” or “Catholic Catechism sin” or whatever topic you have from your list and it should pop right up.

Check that it is this website you click on to ensure you are actually looking at the catechism of the Catholic Church.

www.vatican.va

or

www.scborromeo.org
 
Regarding God’s will, free will, sin, repentance; may I recommend A Father Who Keeps His Promises by Scott Hahn?

Interesting you would mention these topics tersteegen.
I am thinking especially of the following topics:
Click to expand...
  • God’s Will
  • Free Will
  • Sin
  • Repentance
  • Forgiveness
  • The Devil
  • Obedience
  • Suffering
Click to expand...
We were just discussing books about the devil on another thread concerning somebody’s 7th grade daughter and a related question.

I made this suggestion there:
Interview With an Exorcist by Fr. Jose Antonio Fortea is also quite good and a reasonably quick read too.
Click to expand...
amazon.com/Interview-With-Exorcist-Antonio-Fortea/dp/1932645969/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380312633&sr=8-1&keywords=Interview+With+an+Exorcist
Click to expand...
Our kids (corporately speaking) keep getting exposed to more and more demonic pagan spirituality earlier and earlier. In addition to the Bible and the CCC, it is appropriate to have a couple of good Catholic resources around to help guard our children and ourselves with.
Click to expand...
Hope this helps with book ideas tersteegen.
 
Cricket17 said:
Well, you can’t do much better than the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 🙂

The Baltimore Catechism is always good, also anything by Fr. John Hardon.

I’ve given away numerous copies of “The Faith Explained,” by Fr. Leo Trese (Scepter Publishers). It’s both concise & eloquent.

If you have a little more time or $$, check out “This is the Faith: A Complete Explanation of the Catholic Faith,” by Canon Francis Ripley (TAN Books/St. Benedict Press).

I’ve not yet read “Our Moral Life in Christ,” by Fr. Peter Armenio, or “Introduction to Catholicism for Adults,” Fr. James Socias (Scepter Publishers). But both are on my reading list.

God bless!
Click to expand...
In addition to these, I’d heartly recommend:
Handbook of Catholic Apologetics: Reasoned Answers to Questions of Faith by Peter Kreeft & Ron Tacelli
and
Theology for Beginners by Frank Sheed
(if you want a little bit more of a challenge, you could look into “Theology and Sanity” by the same author)
 
juno24 said:
Just off the top of my head, I would suggest Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. He had a way of writing that was very thought-provoking, compassionate, and easily understood.
Click to expand...
Mere Christianity is the first book that came to my mind when I read the post. It’s a must read.
Mary.
 
I want to thank all of you for your great recommnedations!!

I’ve read many reviews on amazon and elsewhere for all books recommended here. I have to say, Im really interested in all of them.

I think I will get myself the Catechism, as suggested by many here, since being a Catholic this work will have to be in my house sooner or later anyway.

And besides the Catechism I will start with one of the other books recommended by you…it’s hard to decide which one, they all really seem good…I feel somewhat drawn to “The faith explained” by Leo J. Trese.

Has anyone actually read “Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of the Faith” by Robert Barron?

Thank you all again,
blessings,
teerstegen
 
tersteegen said:
Hello everyone!

I am looking for a book that will explain some basic Christian concepts in a practical, relevant-to-life way.

I am thinking especially of the following topics:
  • God’s Will
  • Free Will
  • Sin
  • Repentance
  • Forgiveness
  • The Devil
  • Obedience
  • Suffering
Is there a single book (preferably concise) that explains these basic things (and others…) and how they relate?
If not one single book, maybe you can reccomend several books on individual topics?

Thank you for any recommendations!
God bless you!
Click to expand...
Catechism of the Catholic Church or the Confessions of St. Augustine are both good. One explains them, the other relates the story of one who experienced these things.

And of course the Bible. 😉
 
Goodreads has excellent reviews for Catholicism and about 10 other Barron Books. The Catholicism book is reportedly (I haven’t read it yet) an excellent summary of Barron’s 10-part DVD series on Catholicism–expensive but samples of each DVD are displayed free at www.catholicismseries.com.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top