Good book for the a-religious

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constantconvert

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My dad is in his 80s, and knows almost nothing about Christianity. He never went to church as a kid, and doesn’t even know the most basic things about the Gospel message. He is not really open to talking about it, but he said he would read a book. He is extremely logical, and extremely skeptical. What is a good book for someone like this? Or should I just pray he gets into heaven on the invincible ignorance “technicality”? I’m so worried he will end up in hell.
 
Myth of Sisypus by Camus is something inspiring for me as an agnsostic.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Myth_of_Sisyphus

I would not try to stress him out with conversion in his last days. Love on him for as much time as you can.

(FWIW I don’t believe in an afterlife, and it sounds like your dad and I are in the same boat.)
 
constantconvert said:
My dad is in his 80s, and knows almost nothing about Christianity. He never went to church as a kid, and doesn’t even know the most basic things about the Gospel message. He is not really open to talking about it, but he said he would read a book. He is extremely logical, and extremely skeptical. What is a good book for someone like this? Or should I just pray he gets into heaven on the invincible ignorance “technicality”? I’m so worried he will end up in hell.
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Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
 
DCNBILL said:
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Click to expand...
Mere Christianity gets my vote as well.

You may also consider “Maximilian Kolbe: Saint of Auschwitz” by Elaine Murray Stone. His biography was actually originally written for an atheist and was instrumental in his conversion.
 
Constantconvert

For someone who is, in your words, “extremely logical and extremely skeptical”, possibly a historical approach might hold your father’s attention more successfully than a book that sets out to present the content of Christian belief. Has he ever been in the habit of reading books on the history of any country in any period? If so, that might serve as a useful pointer.

There are very many first-rate books dealing with the Middle East under Roman rule in the Herodian period. These four are just skimming the surface:

Helen Bond,* Pontius Pilate in History and Interpretation *(short and to the point, a little over 200 small pages)
Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus
Harold W. Hoehner, Herod Antipas, a Contemporary of Jesus Christ
Martin Goodman, *Rome and Jerusalem, the Clash of Ancient Civilizations. * This is the longest of the four, nearly 600 pages not including notes and indexes. It is written for the general reader rather than as a textbook for students.
 
I third ‘Mere Christianity.’ That was the first book I ever read that got me to take Christianity seriously.
 
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