Reddit mentions: The best christian allegory books

Preliminaries

1. I think you have a plethora of options when it comes to The Pilgrim's Progress. Many of them are free too!
   
   
2. Also, I want to say I don't necessarily think all middle schoolers need a modernized version because some or many middle schoolers are more than capable of understanding the main story in its original language. At most, it'd be like reading Shakespeare, but I think Bunyan is even easier to grasp than Shakespeare.
   
   Modernized versions
   
   
3. Grace Gems has a modernized version of The Pilgrim's Progress which you can download for free (here). It's available in epub, mobi, and pdf formats. And it's even available in audio format.
   
   
4. There are modernized versions of The Pilgrim's Progress you can purchase on Amazon. A couple of them are only 99 cents for Kindle.
   
   
5. If you want a book version, The Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English has good reviews.
   
   "Original" versions
   
   (I used original in scare quotes because Bunyan first published his book in the late 1600s and so the original text would be the late 1600s text, but it's predominantly only scholars who read the original late 1600s text. Such as Roger Sharrock's Oxford University Press edition.)
   
   
6. CCEL has a free edition of the original in multiple formats too.
   
   
7. Oxford World's Classics and Penguin Classics both have good cheap paperback editions of The Pilgrim's Progress.
   
   
8. Desiring God (John Piper's ministry) has made the first part (unfortunately not the second part as far as I know) of The Pilgrim's Progress available for free to download in epub, mobi, and pdf formats (here). It's also available to purchase as a regular book. By the way, I own the hardback book version and it's beautiful as well as beautifully illustrated. However, Desiring God's version is not exactly modernized, it retains Bunyan's English, but it does clean it up a bit and so it is "easier" to read while retaining the original as much as possible.
   
   
9. Another good print edition of The Pilgrim's Progress is from the Banner of Truth. The Banner of Truth was founded by Iain Murray, who himself has written many wonderful Christian biographies that are worth reading, with Martyn Lloyd-Jones's support.
   
   
10. My personal favorite edition is the hardcover smyth-sewn The Pilgrim's Progress: The 1891 edition with 170 Illustrations.
    
    TL;DR
    
    If I were you, I think I'd probably pick Desiring God's version. You can take a look at this version by downloading it for free above and see what you think. However, I think it'd be worth buying Desiring God's hardcopy version of The Pilgrim's Progress because it's a beautiful book with beautiful artwork which might be attractive to your middle schooler too. In any case, your middle schooler is in for a delightful read because it's a great story.

Kudos to you for wanting to diversify your reading list. Reading or listening to only one person is always a dangerous thing, no matter who that might be. I've made a bunch of book recommendations on this sub in the past. Here are a few I think are a good fit for you specifically. In general, I'd also highly recommend all of the works by the authors listed.

• Letters to a Young Calvinist: An Invitation to the Reformed Tradition by Jamie Smith. This is always my top recommendation for the young person looking for more depth. It's a quick easy read best digested in small parts. It does a great job of providing an overview of the Reformed tradition that is accessible, theological, and pastoral. It's aimed at those who have a 'come-to-Calvin' moment from within other theological traditions (Smith was Pentecostal) but would benefit everyone.
  
  
• Chosen by God and/or The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. Sproul is simply the best at explaining complex theological concepts in an easy to understand manner. These are his two best books in my opinion, but anything he has written is worth a read.
  
  
• The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This is a satirical work where Lewis describes temptation from the vantage point of a junior and senior demon. The discription may sound odd, but it is full of insights into the state of mankind. Given your comments about temptation, I'd call this one a must read. Lewis was a master communicator, consider Mere Christianity as well.
  
  
• Deep Down Faith by Cornelius Plantinga. This one is a devotional aimed at young adults, but an excellent explanation of Reformed Faith. Highly recommended.
  
  
• Knowing God by J.I Packer - This is a classic book that, in the words of Elizabeth Elliot, "puts the hay where the sheep can reach it--plainly shows us ordinary folks what it means to know God." I don't know that there are many books that every Christian needs to read, but this one is definitely on the list.
  
  Lastly, I'd encourage you to read through some of the Reformed Confessions. Begin with the Heidelberg Catechim and the Belgic Confession. If you want a more modern approach, I'd encourage you to also read the Christian Reformed Church's Contemporary Testimony Our World Belongs To God, too.

As you get more into audiobooks, you may start to find that you seek out works by particular narrators. David Case (RIP) is one of my favorites. He does a lot of classics. I've listened to him do David Copperfield, Moby Dick and some P.G. Wodehouse works. All of them were great. His ability to do multiple voices really draw me into his reading.

Audiofile magazine is a great place to look at reviews of different audiobooks. You can get quite a bit of web content from them for free without being a subscriber.

If you think you might like to try some radio dramas, I'd recommend checking out some of the works by the ZBS Foundation. They've done some amazing work dating back to the 1970's. Their Jack Flanders works are some of my favorite, though I also love Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe. (Their online catalog seems to be a little borked at the moment, but I'm sure they'll get it straightened out.)

Other great radio dramas:

• Lord of the Rings (be sure to get the BBC version, and not the NPR version which is not nearly as good.)
  
• Star Wars - these were produced for NPR and they're awesome. They include voices of some of the actors from the original films. Unforturnately they get progressively worse (Star Wars >> Empire >> Return of the Jedi) but they are all very listenable.
  
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - These are musts. Even if you've already read the books. Especially if you've already read the books.
  
• The Chronicles of Narnia - Much as I hate to admit it, this is a great audio production. It's made by Focus on the Family so you may want to think twice before paying for it first hand. But it's actually quite good and worth listening to.
  
  Also, check out some of the Old Time Radio shows at the Internet Archive. They are free for download and some of them are really great. Suspense and X Minus One are great ones to start with.

Hello, I'm a bit late to this parade (I just heard Dr. Peterson's podcast with Joe Rogan yesterday) but I wanted to weigh in here.

There are a lot of good sources from a variety of Christian viewpoints. Many of the ones already listed are very good, but I don't see anything from my own particular version of Christianity (Eastern Orthodoxy), so I wanted to suggest two resource for you from that perspective as well as another from C.S. Lewis whose words are held dear by most Christians.



The first is a lecture by Fr. John Behr, the current dean of St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. He holds Masters of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford University. This one is on YouTube and is 1.5 hours in length. It is called Death, the Final Frontier.There are a couple of minutes of fluff at the beginning but it starts to really roll into something I think Jordan Peterson fans would enjoy at the 3-minute mark. It is ostensibly about death, but it is a great critique of modern western culture viewed through the lens of liturgical Christianity.

This second is a recording of a lecture provided by a former dean of the same seminary that I think cuts to the heart of what Christianity actually means. It is called "The Word of the Cross" by Rev. Dr. Thomas Hopko and is around two hours total and has been broken into four individual sections by an Orthodox podcast publisher:
Part 1
[Part 2] (http://www.ancientfaith.com/specials/hopko_lectures/the_word_of_the_cross_part_2)
Part 3
Part 4

Lastly, I would direct you toward the writings of C.S. Lewis. When I was a young teenage atheist, his arguments were very persuasive for me and have been very popular amongst most Christians. I know many Protestants, Orthodox, and Catholics who have all found their first theological footing in Lewis' work. Mere Christianity is probably the best source to steer you toward, but I think his best ideas can be found in The Abolition of Man, The Great Divorce, and Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold. Since you've professed a preference for audio content, I will point you toward a YouTube playlist of the series of BBC radio broadcast lectures that C.S. Lewis gave during WWII that were the core of what later became Mere Christianity.

I'm tempted to also suggest that you read Thomas Merton, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Kirkegaard, Dostoyevsky, St. John Chrysostom, St. Thomas Aquinas, and many, many others. Enjoy your journey!

Congrats on the new job! I am on job hunting at the moment. It's not fun but I am doing ok so far. I actually got an email yesterday about my resume so fingers crossed!

I would like this rice cooker because microwaving rice is not really fun.. I burn my hands all the time and it does not taste so good lol.

And I know you like reading so I think you might like this book called The Time Keeper very nice read. We talked about Mitch Albom this morning as well. He is such an amazing writer. I recommend to everyone! Hope you'll like it.

Congrats once again!

Ohh I got some goodies for ya, Hermann Hesse is amazing and opened me up to many books.

1. Just buy it right now..seriously. The Book of Mirdad by Mikhail Naimy
   
   
2. Another Classic by Herman Hesse Demian
   
   3)Another with a similar feel as Siddhartha The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
   
   So these top 3 are the "closest" to Siddartha that I've read. You will defintely like the top 3, they are amazing books with such fundamental truths told through a story. All easy to read and similiar in length.
   
   These next 4 are just suggested for anyone that is into these types of books, I would almost guarantee that you will love them! They are just less "story" like. The Autobiography is an amazing read, and is indeed a story but it's non-fiction. The Way of Zen is just a beautiful book, but is not a fiction along with the Bhagavad and The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari (The author actually suggests Siddhartha in it!)
   
   
3. If you liked Siddhartha heavily for it's spiritual aspects and the effect it left on you, this book has changed me deeply (they all have but this book is a little different) The Autobiography of a Yogi by
   Paramahansa Yogananda
   
   5)And his translation of The Bhagavad Gita
   
   6)Good ol' Allan Watts The Way of Zen
   
   
4. Another highly suggested book The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma
   
   Enjoy my friend!

First of all,

Props to you velogirl. Announcing that you found God on reddit is an open invitation for ridicule. So gtz on your interwebds gonads.

Secondly, I'm happy that you found something that is working for you, and has allowed you to get to a healthier place in your life. People often criticize the lack of God's presence in the world, but fail to consider that perhaps they're their own problem. I'm sure the whole experience feels like a light switch has turned on; I know it did for me.

Finally, good luck with your SO. I dated a solid Atheist for 3 years and I know that's far from easy. The conflicting views, lack of respect, and waves of condensation can (and will) cause serious wear. Personally, I recommend reinforcing your knowledge of God and the bible, as well as your ever growing relationship with him as much as you can.

No one has all the answers. This debate is as old as time, there will never ever be cold proof to trump either side.

Some recommended "God Stuff":

• The Screwtape letters - C.S.Lewis
  
  
• The Circle Trilogy - Ted Dekker
  
  
• Brandon Heith, Hillsong, Rob bell, specifically his Nooma bits.
  
  
• The Shack
  
  
  And on reddit, a user named " seeing_the_light " usually leaves his debaters cold in their tracks. His orthodox education is inspiring. Good luck!

We all have doubts. It's part of being human and being a Christian. As you mentioned you are still looking for truth and are open to the idea of theism. I would just recommend a few books for reading that are great intellectual reading about the subject. That being: The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism and The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
as well as anything by CS Lewis notably [Mere Christianity] (http://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christianity-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652926/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425281260&sr=1-1&keywords=mere+christianity+cs+lewis) and Screwtape Letters.

All the best in finding truth friend, and although you may doubt Him (even as Apostles, greatest evangelists, martyrs, missionaries also did) I would not advise ruling out Christ just yet.

I love The chronicles of Narnia, because it is mesmerizing,pack full of adventure & a childhood favorite of mine.

I have been wanting Grimms fairy tales it would be interesting to read the Grimm versions.

I love Anne Rice so I have Merrick on my wishlist.

Thanks for the fun contest!

Happy Friday!

I've been dying to read The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom. I love all of his books and think they are amazing, I'm sure this one won't disappoint!

I actually have fun weekend plans! I'm going out of town to meet two of my best girlfriends for a weekend out. I'm excited but a little anxious as well because this will be the first time I've been away from my 9 month old daughter for a full weekend. :) Thanks for the contest!

Firstly, you should know that the current method of publication is to place the books in chronological order instead of original released order. This is generally regarded by Narnia fans as an inferior introduction to the series. If you are going to read the series for the first time, I highly recommend you read them in original release order, and finding a set that is congruent with that is difficult.

Secondly, I do not think there have been any "handsome" hardcover releases akin to the newer LOTR or even some of the "adult bindings" for Harry Potter. I wish there were.

Do not get this version. It's all 7 books in one binding. It's "out of order", and it's just not a comfortable read. It is the easiest to find however.

This publication is the last to use the correct order. But they are paperback and can only be found used and thus would be hard to find in good condition. Most of us Narnia fans would give a nostalgic recommendation for this version, but that doesn't mean it's the best for you today.

If you go to Narnia's official site you can see everything they offer now. It looks like you can by decent looking hardcovers individually (not in box set) or you can buy a few paperback box sets. All of these would be labeled in a newer chronological (and not recommended) order, but are probably the best way to go.

It's absolutely The Search for Fierra, and its sequel, The Siege of Dome (I have both).

The main character travels to a dome colony on a planet where everything is really corrupt. They decide to leave the dome to search for a mythical colony outside the dome where everything is better. They leave in space suits and run out of air and have to expose themselves to the atmosphere. It's ok at first but they get coated by this drying-out scab-like sickness (the pulling of the tongue out of her throat).

They get over the sickness, possibly rescued by the utopian colony folks. Everyone decides to go back and resuce everyone in the corrupt dome society (which is the second book).

Ultimately the whole thing was written by a religious author, Stephen R. Lawhead (hence your C.S. Lewis hint), damning a multi-theistic society, praising a mono-theistic society (the utopia). I'm an atheist so it's all dumb, but the story and setting are pretty good regardless :)

I would say no. There is no Biblical support for the fact that he can (or can't) listen to prayers. However, even if he can hear your prayers, there isn't really much that he could do about it as God is infinitely more powerful than Satan.

If you want an interesting take on the subject, you should check out the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It's been a while since I've read them, and I don't remember if Lewis asserts demons can hear prayers or not, but it is a fascinating and wonderful look at demons and what they do.

This https://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Modern-English-Translation-Classics-ebook/dp/B00WX2JCXE is a good option too! Some of the phrasing in the original book is beautiful, so it's cool to have them side by side so you can appreciate the original and also get the meaning.

Life is precious precisely due to it being finite, there is tremendous beauty in its brevity.

An entertaining fiction book that makes this point very well is The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom.

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis is his most underrated and best work, in my opinion. I'm glad this was on the list. This is, and always will be, on my list of all-time favorite books.

The Pilgrim's Progress is an excellent Christian allegory book. This updated modern English version seems really good.

I agree. The audio version by Gollum (Andy Serkis) is awesome. I'm currently listening to it in my car on the way to work, for the second time. Much better than radio commercials in the morning.

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Well said. A lot of religions have sound philosophical backgrounds IMHO. I think that it is the transition to religion that things go sour. Have you ever read Joshua
, by Joseph Girzone? It is a rather interesting story of a modern-day Jesus' reaction to the current state of Judeo-Christian religions. As an Atheist raised in a Christian family, this story gave me a newfound respect for some of the underlying philosophy, as opposed to the current dogma, of Christianity.

I'm not sure if this is quite what you're looking for, but I would highly recommend The Screwtape Letters, by CS Lewis... it provides some of the most profound insight into the nature of sin, temptation, and the struggle for human souls that I know of. John Cleese does an astounding reading of it as well, which makes for even more enjoyable and engaging experience.

Here are some books I recommend. Some are free on kindle. Check out a library. They will have these books.

Read the 4 Gospels and Acts of the Apostles. Just read them.

http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-St-Augustine-Saint-ebook/dp/B00AQM75SC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113491&sr=8-2&keywords=st+augustine+confessions

http://www.amazon.com/Aquinass-Shorter-Summa-Thomass-Theologica/dp/1928832431/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113525&sr=8-1&keywords=st+thomas+aquinas

http://www.amazon.com/When-Church-Was-Young-Fathers-ebook/dp/B00LWIU1EE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-2&keywords=early+church

http://www.amazon.com/Orthodoxy-Moody-Classics-Gilbert-Chesterton-ebook/dp/B00DEUQ9GW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113746&sr=8-1&keywords=gk+chesterton

http://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christianity-Lewis-Signature-Classics-ebook/dp/B002BD2UR0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113766&sr=8-3&keywords=cs+lewis

http://www.amazon.com/The-Screwtape-Letters-C-Lewis/dp/0060652934/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1408113766&sr=8-4&keywords=cs+lewis

Just to be clear Wangerin wrote the original series as well as the rewrites? Looking at this version: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Sorrows-Walter-Wangerin-Jr/dp/031021081X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1538519850&sr=8-2&keywords=book+of+sorrows

Pilgrim's Progress in modern English has a free Kindle version, even for non-prime users: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00Q8NFZY4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UPl6Cb7PPW90G

The audio version has Andy Serkis (Gollum) doing the voice of Uncle Screwtape, and he’s SO awesome in it.

That sounds lovely! this is my version

Of course, go for it. It was really fun to listen to it in audio form.

Cool. Bit of advice though: in about a week or two you're probably going to come down off the emotional high and start to question it and then be tempted to conclude you were just being emotional.

Don't give it in to it. Pick up some religious books with substance in them. Just offhand, since it's sitting nearby, I would suggest The Screwtape Letters.

I enjoyed reading The Screwtape Letters

Good read. Addresses this question. Recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/Joshua-Parable-Joseph-F-Girzone/dp/0684813467

I like Pilgrims Progress and a fictional account of Paul's life called simply, "Paul".

Sounds like Joshua: A Parable for Today by
Joseph F. Girzone. It is a series of books.

These books are indeed both awe inspiring and terrifying. I last read them almost a decade ago, and still my mind wanders back and dwells in their world. I'm tearing up just thinking about them now. Let me be clear: these books will change you. You cannot read these and be the same person ever again.

Check out the reviews on Amazon.

Marooooooned....

Found it! Empyrion: Book 1. The Search for Fierra.

Has anyone read The Screwtape Letters ? Ben Shapiro has been talking about it for a while.

http://www.amazon.com/Classics-Christian-Faith-Max-McLean/dp/1931047596/


http://www.amazon.com/Screwtape-Letters-Full-cast-Dramatization-Diabolical/dp/1589973240/

http://www.amazon.com/He-Touched-Me-Gospel-Presley/dp/5559166928/

http://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Hymn-Book-Johnny-Cash/dp/B0001NBMTE/

http://www.amazon.com/Can-Circle-Be-Unbroken-Country/dp/B003O5MO02/

Ever read The Screwtape Letters?

When demons are brought up, I always highly suggest the Screwtape Letters which is fictional, but offers deep insight into man's spiritual struggles.

For the record, the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a "story that takes the form of a series of letters from a senior Demon Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, a Junior Tempter. The uncle's mentorship pertains to the nephew's responsibility in securing the damnation of a British man known only as 'the Patient.'"

If you'd like to hear part of the audiobook for yourself, consider watching these four semi-animated videos.

The non-animated, full version of the audiobook can be found here, although it is an unauthorized upload to Youtube, but the official CD's can be bought here.

The parts that really slapped me in the face at how accurate it is for myself, is Part 3.

Alternatively it's possible to read the actual book, linked HERE which is legally public domain under Canada's copyright laws.

> I feel as if half of me wants these things and the other half despises them.



Join the club. It includes Paul, me and every other believer: "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (Romans 7:15)



The fact remains: we are in the world (material/carnal/flesh) but not of the world (immaterial/divine/souls).



> I am afraid my actions (sinning a lot) speak louder than my words.


Fear (e.g. “I am afraid”) is a product of too much emphasis on the Law and not enough on the Gospel. You’re stuck on keeping Commandments and earning good boy merits (grace) with God. That's exactly where the devil wants you. Our adversary (devil, Satan, Lucifer or whatever) would love nothing more than for every blood bought child of God to be scared, afraid and unsure of their salvation.




I recommend The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Your local library should have it if you don’t want to buy it. It’s a short read. It’s fictional satire about two demons and how they try to sabotage the faith of believers.