Off the Agenda: Conversations for Building Church Leaders

Excellent list, Brandon. I'm sure lots of people will want to add their favorites, too. I'll start ...

"The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver, which is deeply troubling to anyone who loves the gospel, but which powerfully portrays the danger of assuming the gospel is wed to a particular cultural or political agenda.

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini, which allows American readers inside an Islamic culture in much the same way The Chosen and My Name Is Asher Lev allow us to inhabit an Orthodox Jewish world for a while.

Eight years ago I formed a reading group at the church I pastor, and we are still meeting. We have read classics from the 19th century, Greek classical literature, philosophy, religion, etc., and authors from Austen to Zola. As a pastor I absolutely concur with Brandon O'Brien's belief that ministers should read literature. Interestingly enough, Wilde's Picture of Dorian Grey was the first novel we read, and it remains today one of the top ten favorites of the group. One of the common themes that runs through the literary world is a consuming interest in the human predicament and how to deal with it. We just finished reading "NIght" by Elie Wiesel and enjoyed a very stimulating discussion about God and the problem of evil. Upcoming books scheduled to be read include Camus' "The Fall", Flaubert's "Madame Bovary", and Graves' "I Claudius." I'm convinced every seminary should offer a two-semester literature course and require students to take it. The reading group is a great opportunity to reach non-Christians and use great literature as the catalyst for stimulating discussions on topics such as God, Christ, ethics, and Christianity.

As a guy who is both a high school English teacher and an associate pastor - I really enjoyed this post!

Grace & peace,
Kevin
kevinwalkerblog.com

Hey Brandon,
I agree with you. Lots of us want nothing much to do with fiction. But come to think of it, when I was growing up I drew all my lessons from fiction, some of which I still vividly recall. Carry on brother!

Brandon:

One reason church leaders have difficulty with fiction is that in order to write a compelling story, the author has to leave the point ambiguous. You can't control what the reader ultimately takes away from the story. This creative tension keeps the reader reading but most pastors are oriented toward a "just the facts" presentation. Without sounding arrogant, I would say a novel invites one to think. And thinking takes some effort and usually pushes you beyond your comfort zone.

Joe Hilley
Author
Sober Justice, Double Take, Electric Beach, Night Rain, and The Deposition

Thanks for posting this. I'm often saddened at how uninformed our pastors, let alone our congregations, are on literature and other arts. It's almost like there's the belief that real Christians don't read fiction, unless it's written by Janet Oke. It also means they probably don't see value in "secular" film, art, music, poetry or journalism.

Some of my favorite pieces of fiction, off the top of my head, that have helped inform my spiritual journey are Catch-22 and Room with a View. Oh, and of course, Lord of the Rings. Non-fiction works have included Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, and the works (fiction and non-fiction) of Wendell Berry and of E.B. White.

C.S. Lewis and Tolkien often fussed about the meaning and importance of fiction. Lewis steadfastly believed that fiction should have an outright lesson to teach and the author should direct the reader's mind to a chosen outcome. Tolkien was adamant that the story should contain the pith of its own value. The reader could take from the story whatever they want. I am on the side of Tolkien. That is why I can read books that are provocative, daring and not in line with Christian truth and glean much from them. To the pure, all things are pure.

That is why I recommend two books that are not going to appeal to all evangelicals because of language and theme, but are two of the greatest novels ever written. "Snow" by Orhan Pamuk, garnered the Nobel Prize for Literature for Pamuk's work. It chronicles the struggle to maintain dignity and order among three ethnic groups in Northeastern Turkey in the present day. Pamuk is an advocate for Turkey admitting their guilt in the Armenian Genocide. This book shows that one can love in the midst of pain, loss and cruelty.

The second is the Twentieth Wife and concerns the woman who changed an entire empire through her strength and wisdom. She is the wife who inspired the building of the Taj Mahal. Both of these books show that grander principles and beliefs can triumph over the pettiness of sin and selfishness.

I'm not a pastor but I adore fiction. Years ago, I taught a Bible class on literature and belief. Great fun. So how could I resist adding to that list?

Here are some of my favorites:

The Things They Carried (a thoughtful, beautiful, and complex picture of war)
Pride and Prejudice (or the 6 hour A&E version)
Frankenstein
1984--an especially important warning to anyone presuming to lead

Great post. I also second the notion that seminarians should have to take a literature class - or at least a class on the arts that includes literature, film, music etc.

Can I throw out a few of my own fiction suggestions?

"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley - an incredible and insightful story about human relationships and the sin of pride. This book is so amazing, it makes me crazy that she was only 19 when she wrote it.

"Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe - a fascinating and heartwrenching look at African tribal culture and its interaction with Christianity.

Shakespeare - especially "Hamlet" but others as well. His work contains some of the best portrayals of the human condition in the history of literature.

"Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut - my favorite author who both exemplifies and criticizes much of contemporary thought.

I agree with a vigorous and aggressive AMEN. Fiction illumines life, and often it's the lives we don't live. That's why fiction should be mandatory for pastors; our lives are often boxed in, protected, and claustrophobic. A few on my list of contemporary authors include "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving, "How To Be Good" by Nick Hornby, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, "Peace Like a River" by Leif Enger. The best fiction points to redemption, and redemption always marks a path to Christ.

My list: Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, The Brothers Karamazov, The Jungle (Upton Sinclair) and the Aeneid... all stories of human struggle with deep insight into human nature... the stuff legends are made of...

What a refreshing post! Concordia published my fiction "problem story" books for children, ages 5-9, in the early-80s. At the time we attended a church where the pastor denounced reading fiction because it is "not true." The Growing up Christian series was also multi-cultural before that was even a term.

Brandon, I love all of Chaim Potok's novels, especially the Asher Lev ones. There is much truth in them. That's for suggesting Silence by Endo; I'll certainly read it.

Silence reminds me of Graham Greene's historical novel THE POWER AND THE GLORY about the last priest in Mexico.

Blessings from an author,

Christine Kohler

A few suggestions:

* A Place on Earth and others by Wendell Berry. Wendell Berry has a very strong sense of place and a deep love for his characters, even when they are seriously flawed. His stories encourage me to look deeply at the world, to get to know the area where God has called me to serve, and to love people.

* Beyond the Bedroom Wall and Born Brothers by Larry Woiwode. Both of these books focus on the Neumiller family, the latter mainly dealing with Charles Neumiller, whose life has significant overlaps with Woiwode's own. Woiwode's writing is beautifully poetic; his stories bring the reader deeply into the lives of his characters.

* The Book of the Long Sun (published in two volumes: Litany of the Long Sun and Epiphany of the Long Sun) by Gene Wolfe. One of my friends has said that these volumes are the best pastoral theology he has read and that he finds himself asking, in various situations, "What would Patera Silk do?"

* All the Bells on Earth by James Blaylock. Is this horror? comedy? or what? Well, yes. But it's also a story about sin, about the price we'd be willing to (have others) pay for our own pleasures. Read it just before Christmas.

* The Book of Bebb by Frederick Buechner. God draws straight lines with crooked sticks.

* Glittering Images and the rest of the Starbridge series by Susan Howatch. Who would have guessed that novels about an encounter with a spiritual director could become bestsellers? Pastors could learn a lot about wise counsel, about the temptations that counsellors face, and even about the history of the church in England from Howatch's novels.

A great idea. One of my favorite discoveries has been DailyLit.com. They have a huge selection of (mostly) free works, many classics. They email you about 1/3-1/2 a chapter per day. For the busy person, this is pretty cool. In the few minutes it takes to check your messages, you can knock out a bit of Dorian Gray.
I've read several works by Jack London, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jules Verne.

It comes as a text email so anyone looking over your shoulder will just think you're reading a message when in fact you're a 1000 miles away with Phineas Fogg.

Great thoughts! I especially your list. I don't believe I saw any of Francine Rivers' works listed. I could have missed it. She does such a good job of weaving God's truth into compelling stories, I believe many of her works foster spiritual formation.

Blessings,
-bill

Some favorites of mine:

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Persuasion, Jane Austen
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters, J.D. Salinger
A Modern Mephistopheles, Louisa May Alcott
The Short Stories of A Conan Doyle, Oscar Wilde, and A.A. Milne

Great! But isn't it sad that we have to justify fiction? And I bet that many of the people who denounce fiction as not true are quite happy to watch junk TV and movies!
Alexander McCall Smith's Number One Ladies Detective Agency series, set in Botswana, is delightful, gentle and wise. John Le Carre (eg Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) has a real grasp of the contradictions of the human condition. Ian McEwan's Atonement - the title is clear! And best of all, reading fiction is not a tiresome duty it's a delight.

Glad to see fiction get some good reviews. I belong to the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance where we review the newest books on the market and help writers get publicity. The founder, Bonnie Calhoun has just started Christian Fiction Online, a magazine by writers for their newest books and articles. It's a great place to look. Take a peak.

This is a wonderful post, with many great suggestions in the post and in the comments. Reflecting a slightly different perspective, I strongly recommend the following:

Sigrid Undset - Kristin Lavransdatter (the whole trilogy - do not stop at volume 1, and definitely select the translation by Tiina Nunnally, not the earlier ones): what an amazing tale, and a helpful reminder, that we do not avoid the dark night by walking a Christian path.

Rumor Godden - In this House of Brede.

Graham Greene - The Power and the Glory (similar to Endo, but slightly more accessible due to its North American context).

Dostoevsky, Fyodor - Crime and Punishment.

C.S. Lewis - The Space Trilogy

Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings

Marilynne Robinson - Gilead.

Morris West - The Devil's Advocate.

Willa Cather - Death Comes for the Archbishop

And anything by Jan Karon. :-)

I suggest making the reading light and on the comedic side, yet with lots of insights. The works of Jane Austen are good for this. Pride and Prejudice is good. Emma is hilarious in an 19th century sort of way. Austen is as instructive as she is entertaining.

Fiction has a way of airing out the mind.

Thank you for posting this. From my observations when I was at college (as an English major, so I was already biased), the people involved in interpreting the Bible had some of the worst imaginations and were thus least suited to understanding the text.

I started a book club this year, and we're reading books that mostly grapple with questions of faith and the arts. We're reading The Picture of Dorian Gray this month, and we've already read Silence. (I'll have to read Chaim Potok--I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't yet.) I started the book club so that we could discuss Silence.

More good books that led to good discussions on faith are The Guide (R.K. Narayan), The End of the Affair (Graham Greene), and Measure for Measure (Shakespeare).

I can't imagine a list such as this without Hugo's Les Miserables. Glad to see Dostoevsky in the comments.

What a great affirmation for us who have taken regular breaks from academic/commentary type books through the years as a "vacation" for the mind. As one who has been around for a long time and who was nurtured in so many ways by well-written fiction, I concur that pastors need this kind of change of pace in their personal reading program. Suggestions from my own experience?

The pre-historic-based books by Jean Auel. Great studies in human nature and how culture affects choices often more strongly than faith;

Historical fiction -- fell "out of style" after the 60's but is still some of the best in the library as to research and examining some of the "lessons of the past" we can all stand to learn; my favorite: "Katherine" by Anya Seton -- fictional treatment of the life of Geoffrey Chaucer's sister-in-law, Katherine de Roet.

Graham Greene's novels, especially "Green Dolphin Street" -- love doesn't make the marriage--marriage makes the love. A great story of duty and commitment.

Kurt Vonegut has been mentioned, but I love "Cat's Cradle" for its double-edged comedic observation of life and politics.

And then there is "The World According to Garp" as a delightful and thought-provoking look at weird, iconographic personalities who are wonderful opportunities for seeing ourselves and those who make up our weird world.

Have a wonderful summer full of reading delights, my brothers and sisters!!

Great post, and a great reminder.

I just read Endo's Silence (finished it last week). What an incredible book! And talk about a book that has formed me spiritually already in a short time....

"Cry, the Beloved Country" ought to be on any Christian leader's reading list. The deeply spiritual story of South Africa written by Alan Paton is an eye-opener and a classic & is seldom on required reading lists anymore. "To Kill a Mockingbird" you should have read in the 9th grade, but it is even better reading from an adult perspective. And I agree with the addition of "The Poisonwood Bible." Disturbingly compelling. Oh, I have more! English teachers always do!

What a great conversation! I am indebted to Stephen Lawhead for his wonderful works of historical fiction - The "King Arthur" books (start with the first, TALIESIN, and continue right through all 6 or 7 of 'em), the PARADISE WAR trilogy, etc. My favorite of his is BYZANTIUM. It changed me to read it. I rarely re-read a book, but I did this one. I highly recommend it.

I also truly appreciated LES MISERABLES, although I have to admit I skimmed through much of the political commentary. But oh! The story! Such love and such character.

My husband and I read the ANNE OF GREEN GABLES books aloud to one another, a few nights each week, while our sons were young. Later on, our sons would share how much they enjoyed "listening in" to our reading, as they drifted off to sleep. ANNE'S HOUSE OF DREAMS has an excellent "twist" in the story - definitely worth reading.

Thanks for letting me share my two cents.

A few years ago I attended a 3 week summer seminar at Calvin College called Imaginative Reading for Creative Preaching. It was an unparalleled experience for me. I've always been a big reader, but more for my own pleasure than to apply it to my preaching. Now I am better at doing both. In that class we read Silence by Endo (which has appeared in more than one sermon), a bunch of Flannery O'Connor, Wendell Berry, Scott Cairn, The Color of Water (forgot the author's name), Lauren Winner, Katharine Patterson and Lois Lowry. I may be forgetting some.

I'd like to put a plug in here for youth/young adult fiction. I don't think any other genre deals so explicitly with current events, and the theme of redemption is always clear and strong--while never being simplistic. Some recent favorites are the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer, The Giver by Lois Lowry (the theme of sacrifice for the good of others is heartbreaking and powerful) (anything by Lois Lowry, really), and anything by Caroline Cooney (my recent favorite being Code Orange). In these books the human condition is clear, and so many of them become Christian books even if that isn't what the author was setting out to do--because the human condition and its redemption is what Christianity is all about.

Kathy Teel

As a pastor of 30+ years, I found myself drawn to good fiction and having to make myself read the "right" books. I was amazed to see the titles of many of these books listed by the contributors. I would STRONGLY affirm Silence, the two book by Potak and the Poisonwood Gospel. All make us re-examine our beliefs that are often assumed but not owned. I would add A Human Being Died That Night : A South African Story of Forgiveness
By: Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela. The author is an African-American psychologist who is amazed at the reconciliation going on in South Africa. She travels there and interviews women who have had their husbands killed and who have forgiven, face to face, their killers. While not fiction, it is not a "Christian" book. It is a compelling book! For historical fiction, you can't beat Flames of Rome by Paul Meier.

Great stuff! I love all the books that have been mentioned. I would add "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding, "A Man in Full" by Tom Wolfe, "Elmer Gantry" by Sinclair Lewis and the ongoing "Christ the Lord" series by Anne Rice.