The Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals
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Christianity Today produces their list of The Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals. [link fixed]
It's a pretty good list: for good or for ill, it's hard to argue with most of the choices.
But what do you think about their #1 choice? A few questions for you, my faithful readers:
Seems to me that the CT editors may have been wanting to make a point about prayer and found a book that fit the bill--it seems like a stretch to argue that this book has been the most influential in the past five decades of evangelicalism. But I'm open to being persuaded otherwise!
Update: Please note that CT has apparently updated/clarified their top choice a bit. Instead of tapping Rosalind Rinker's Learning Conversational Prayer (which no one seems to have heard of) to be the most influential book in evangelicalism over the past 50 years, it has now been replaced with her book, Prayer: Conversing with God. This volume was published in 1959 by Zondervan, and is still in print by Zondervan. It has sold quite well over the years. That's not to say I think it was the right choice, but I wanted to point out that the printed magazine and the earlier online edition had the wrong title; it's now correct (according to author intent)!
It's a pretty good list: for good or for ill, it's hard to argue with most of the choices.
But what do you think about their #1 choice? A few questions for you, my faithful readers:
- Have any of you heard of this book?
- Has anyone ever seen this book cited as influential, much less the most influential book in the past five decades?
- Does anyone know how many copies it has sold?
Seems to me that the CT editors may have been wanting to make a point about prayer and found a book that fit the bill--it seems like a stretch to argue that this book has been the most influential in the past five decades of evangelicalism. But I'm open to being persuaded otherwise!
Update: Please note that CT has apparently updated/clarified their top choice a bit. Instead of tapping Rosalind Rinker's Learning Conversational Prayer (which no one seems to have heard of) to be the most influential book in evangelicalism over the past 50 years, it has now been replaced with her book, Prayer: Conversing with God. This volume was published in 1959 by Zondervan, and is still in print by Zondervan. It has sold quite well over the years. That's not to say I think it was the right choice, but I wanted to point out that the printed magazine and the earlier online edition had the wrong title; it's now correct (according to author intent)!
posted by JT at Friday, October 06, 2006
49 Comments:
That's a redonkulous list. How could that book be picked as number 1? Move over Carl Henry, C. S. Lewis, and J. I. Packer. Here comes Rosalind Rinker.
P.S. No, I have never heard of her or her book. But I have caught myself using the word "just" a whole lot in my prayers. I regard it as a prayer-tic, a vain repetition that I have been trying to repent of. If the pathology of that little habit goes back to a book that I have never even heard of, then maybe it is the most influential book!
Thanks for the update Justin. I can tell you for someone who has been an avid reader, who has been in youth ministry for fifteen years and presently working as a sales and product coordinator/research assistant for the PCA in the Christian Education Dept. I have never heard of this book at the number one spot. I would have to agree with Denny about this decision. Also, there are a few good books on the list, but few would be the key word. By the way brother, I keep telling people about your blog and the great work you are doing. Keep it up!!!
The #4 book The God Who Is There Francis A. Schaeffer will make sense to old farts like me. I was a Schaeffer disciple from 1967 to about 1972. Used to give speaking engagements on Schaeffer about twice a week. Another book for old guys is The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis. I taught a year long class on this to professional people in 1973. Tim Keller would certainly consider this a significant book.
BTW, I don't really dislike Mark Driscoll, see my latest comments
BTW, I don't really dislike Mark Driscoll, see my latest comments "Did Jesus carry openly?"
Count me as another who's never heard of the book.
One clear entry that should be included in the top ten would be John McArthur's tome "The Gospel According to Jesus"; which singlehandedly confronted and silenced the debate among those representing an easy-believism gospel and the non-Lordship of Christ.
Another few considerations written by another friend, Jerry Bridges, that I found surprisingly absent were "The Pursuit of Holiness" and "Trusting God." Clearly in the field of Christian Life or Christian ED. these books stand in a class all by themselves.
Lastly, I thought it was interesting that not one study Bible was listed. The study Bible has completely reshaped personal devotional reading and bible study in this generation. And the most influential translation that has occurred in the last fifty years is not The Living Bible (a paraphrase), but the NIV (though not my favorite).
Read #5, #4, #3 and heard of #2 - I've never heard of #1 - and although I don't always get around to reading as many books as I'd like, I always make sure I know what books are out there - never saw that one. BTW what happend to 'The Gagging of God?' - Justin, why don't you run your own top 50 and get all your readers to submit nominations.
nope, never heard of it.
Unbelievable, but not surprising.
Rosalind Rinker's books used to fly off the bookshelves at the small Christian bookstore I used to work at just off the University of Minnesota campus in the 70s and early 80s, but I don't remember this one. The two I remember were Prayer: Conversing with God and Praying Together.
There were many books on prayer back then, some much better such as John White's book on prayer, Daring to Draw Near, but I suspect more people read hers because they were so short!
On the whole the list is very disappointing.
Hmmm. Odd list. And there was me thinking the Prayer of Jabez was the most influential book... I also expected Warren and Yancey to be much higher ranked. Rightly, or wrongly.
Justin, you should run your own poll on this - get people to email you a ranked top ten titles and compile the results. Would at least be interesting to see if the lists overlapped at all...
I've never heard of the title or the author.
According to Amazon, the book is cited by two other books (different editions of the same title) which raises further question about the extent of its influence. Indeed, this is a puzzling choice.
Yup. Read #6, #5, #4, #3, heard of #2, never heard of #1.
Let's get our own list going.
Just because the book hasn't affected many people doesn't mean that the effects of the book haven't affected many people. For example, I'm sure the effects of Edwards' Religious Affections on JP have affected more people reading this blog than have actually read Edwards.
Just a thought...
Jeremy Archer
Oh.. and I haven't heard of it either...
Jeremy Archer
No.
No.
And no.
I think this is symptomatic of our "Jesus is my buddy" problem. This may be why we have moved away from praying through Scripture and particularly God's promises. Could this have been the book that started us in that direction?
Since books by Ryrie & Hodges came out to argue w/McArthur, I'm thinking the effect was not as definitive as Mr. Camp thinks.
If you read the hard copy of the magazine, they have a list of people who helped them compile the list. I remember seeing the names Darrel Bock and J. I. Packer, but it was a big list of contributers. I would have liked to read more about how they came up with the list.
Never heard of it. The lists of top books submitted must have been so varied that coming up with an accurate consensus became impossible.
Justin,
I agree with those who call for a poll on your blog--please do it!
As for the CT list, all I can add to what's been said is at least Purpose Driven Life ranked low.
never heard of the book
Glad I'm not the only one who thought this... I think this also goes for #2.
Justin,
It's interesting that all of the books have been written within our overall lifetime. Where's Calvin, Luther, Edwards, Spurgeon, Lloyd-Jones, and etc.? As to Roslind Rinker's book on prayer...I read the book in college 25 years ago. If this is the #1 book that has shaped evangelicalism, WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE! My guess is that CT has a pretty narrow interpretation on the word "shaped".
Rob
They limited themselves to books published since WWII.
If the #1 book had any impact at all, it was 50 years ago, at which time most current readers weren't even around.
However, I think the list is ridiculous and even as an old guy I never heard of #1.
Rob:
I think it's not just the top 50 most influential books, but the top 50 in the past 50 years--which I assume means books written since CT started (in 1956).
All:
Thanks for the encouragement to pull together an alternate list. I'm working on something along these lines--watch this space a week from today if it materializes.
JT
I'm sure everyone will find a favorite book of theirs left of the list. But Harold Lindsell's The Battle for the Bible (1976) is a glaring omission. It's hard to imagine the conservative renewal in the Southern Baptist Convention or the drafting of the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy apart from Lindsell's book. In fact, the omission is so perplexing, one has to wonder if it reflects CT's own theological commitments.
JT, I would like to put my vote in for an alternate list as well. I think once we get a good list of the books that were ommitted, it will look much different.
I don't know if they'll apply in the 'shaping evangelicals' category, but I remember the Ref21 blog had a few good lists generated.
Who needs CT anymore for lists like this?
Ironically, I was just listening to the audio book of Hearing God. Willard mentions this book as well and makes note of the significant impact that it had on American Christianity. Strange.
Jeremy Archer
Was a Bible/theology major at Wheaton earlier this century. Had never heard of this book before this month's CT.
The publish date is 1992. I assume that's the initial publishing date, and not a reprint date. For a book that's only 14 years old, that's supposedly so influential, it's pretty unknown.
FWIW, I heard "conversational" prayer years before this book was published.
Christy??!!!!
I like the idea of seeing you do a Top 50, Justin.
Interesting list. I would add John Murray's Principles of Conduct. For some interesting reviews see this site
1. No
2. No
3. No
Here is my attempt at being charitable in response to this #1 pick.
CT seemed to indicate that they were not picking books that were necessarily good, simply books that "shaped evangelicals." A book does not necessarily need to be recognized or cited by many (or even a few) people to be influencial. Nor does it need to sell many copies.
A book could sell one--and only one--copy. But, if its idea changes the mindset/practice of a very influencial pastor, who in turns influences millions, then that book has "shaped evangelicals," even if no one else hears of it, cites it, and only one copy sells.
That thought should encourage us in the pastorate. One does not need to be heard of, to be much-cited, or to sell many/any books to shape evangelicalism. One's influence is not to be measured by the number of people who know one's name, buy one's books or visit one's blog.
That's my attempt at understanding their reasoning. All that said, I think it was an odd (poor) choice.
How weird. But like most "top blah, blah, blah" polls the choices always leave you frustrated.
I guess the poll shows that evangelicals have been shaped in all sorts of ways for the past 50 years.
The 48-page Rinker book was originally published by Zondervan in 1959.
My guess is that the current publisher, Liturgical Press, is delighted with this free publicity!
JT
Never heard of the #1.
MBS
Soli Deo Gloria
I agree I have never heard of the #1 book. Several of the others leave alot to be desired, but it is their choice not mine.
Hal
I know the book, Justin and recommend it -- just re-read it. Well, as an old guy, it was very unfluential 30 years ago when everyone was praying in discourse form and speaking to God in the kings english -- but that is a LONG time ago. Would not place her over many of the others. How did they do this ranking? While I do not think it a great book, it is hard to believe that Rick Warren is so low!
Mark, you're not "an old guy."
I thought, like Mark, that it was interesting that PDL was ranked so low considering it is the all-time selling Christian books next to the Bible. Was also wondering how they had the Living Bible and not the NIV. And then to have "The Gospel According to Jesus" by John MacArthur or nothing by John Stott.
Justin, can you do a "The Top 50 Books that Have Shaped the Young, Restless, and Reformed"? I think that would be a much more interesting list and your blog is the only one that could get a good sampling of those books. Just an idea, because I know I'd love to have that list!!
I think Campy is right about the study Bibles. First there was the Ryrie Study Bible and then the NIV Study Bible that preceded some better ones today. Some other glaring omisions I think include R. C. Sproul, The Holiness of God and John Stott's, The Cross of Christ among others. And I'm with Joanthan - what's up with Christy?
CT is 0 for 2 with me. I hadn't heard of the former #1, and I haven't heard of the current #1. They need to cut their losses and promote Packer or Lewis.
Mook
I'm unfamiliar with #1 and #2.
The fact that the magazine could go to press with the wrong title for #1 (and not be caught by the editors) is a strong clue that their choice - not to mention their methodology - is suspect.
Justin,
The outrage is that David Wells,and his landmark book, "No Place For Truth or Whatever Happened To Evangelical Theology? " was ignored. Then again, Wells and his books have been ignored by CT despise theircritical acclaim.
I wonder how many of us will just happen to pick it up if it finds itself on the book shelves again?
I have read #48, #47, #44, #43, #40, #39, #37, #36, #34, #33, #32, #29, #28, #26, #22, #13, #12, #11, #9, #4, #3, but I have never even heard of Rosalind Rinker!
Of course, I will not endorse all of these books I have read since the reading of the books numbered above spans some 26 years!
Oh, yes! I have also read #2.
BTW, the online link to the article on your post does not work. Here is the correct link.
Aside from that alternate list, JT, I'd like to see the list of the 50 most influential books in your life.
This post has been removed by the author.
Rosalind Rink was quite popular in the 60s and 70s. Her books were commonly used in prayer study groups.
But I certainly wouldn't have put her number one on the list.
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