Current Reading List

The books below my screen are the books in progress at the moment. I haven't gotten much past the forwards in a few, well into some others, and essentially done with others but refer back to them from time to time to reseat some of the more interesting parts in my brain.

The Colin Tudge book on the far left, "The Engineer in the Garden," is a book that considers the role of genes and genetics in the creation of life. Tudge is a Brit scientist who has widely written about biological systems, food systems and famine throughout the world. I have not examined this book enough to speak of it as yet.

My two road biking books are next, one on Virginia and one on Wash DC, then a book titled "Doctrinal Standards in the Wesleyan Tradition" about the growth of the Methodist church in England and into the colonies.

"Reasonable Enthusiast" is another book about the rise of Methodism and John Wesley. "Doctrines that Divide" is a book about the major points of contention among Christian denominations and churches. Pretty much to the point. "Are Men Born Sinners" by A.T. Overstreet pretty much blows the Inherited sin dogma away. How anyone can believe we are created in God's image with sin in our hearts after reading this is beyond me.

"When Christians Roamed the Earth" is a book given to me my my theological checkpoint man, Arnold. I haven't been able to get to it yet.

"The Language of God" by Francis S. Collins is going to be another one of my SELECT books in my reading experience. Collins is the new NIH (read that National Institute of Health) director just recently having been appointed by President Obama. Collins grew up in Staunton, Virginia, on a farm just a few miles from where I live now. His parents were the founders of the locally famous Oak Grove Theater which is still in continuous production. Even more interesting to me, his parents were on site and instrumental in the Eleanor Roosevelt Arthurdale Project. Georgiann and I lived in one of the original Arthurdale Project homes and restored it 1979 to 1986. Small world. Collins is also the geneticist that unraveled the DNA code. He is equating the DNA code to the language God used in creation. I think this book will become my lifetime pinnacle book.

"Jungle Pilot" is about the missionary work of Nate Saint in Ecuador where he was killed in 1956. That book has been turned into a docudrama that you may have seen. "Salvation on Sand Mountain" is a book about snake handling Pentecostals in Georgia. Not my cup of tea for sure, but having been exposed to the snake handlers of West Virginia during my WVU days, Arnold knew I'd be interested.

The last book, one I finished in KY a couple of weeks ago, "Angles and Demons" by Dan Brown I wrote about in an earlier blog.

And you want me to add WHAT to my reading list? Call me in 2012. I may have caught up by them.

Of course, the book I wrote mostly about in one of my theology blogs, "How to Read the Bible" by James L. Kugel is always beside my keyboard. The pinnacle book for me unless replaced.