5 Christian Classics Every Latter-day Saint Should Read

I have personally amassed an extensive library which consists of books on many subjects.  In particular, I have collected many books on religion, both by LDS authors, and also by non-LDS authors.  I am not a millionaire, and thus I can’t afford to buy every book I come across (as my wife occasionally has to remind me).  I therefore do my best to buy only those books which I consider to be classics on their subject.  However, even among my (admittedly) large collection of excellent books, there are certain books that stand out above the rest. Many of the best books in my library are written by LDS authors, but some of them are not. 

I have noticed in the past that some members of the LDS church tend to view books on religion written by non-Mormon authors as being somewhat suspect, or of being of less value than a book written by an LDS author. However, it is worth noting that many of my most beloved books by non-LDS authors are widely recognized as classics by people of all faiths.  In fact, you may recognize some of the authors mentioned on this list, as their writings are often quoted over the pulpit at General Conference.

It is true that books which come from outside our tradition may contain ideas that do not wholly jibe with our particular teachings, but that doesn’t mean that there is no benefit to be derived from reading such books.

In scripture, we are instructed by the Lord to “seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith” (see D&C 88:118).  In one of the articles of our faith we hold that “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (see A of F 1:13).

Here is a list of some of those “best books,” which I can personally attest are filled with things that are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report [and] praiseworthy.”  This list does not constitute a blanket endorsement of all of the doctrines or ideas contained within them (especially over and above the doctrines and teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).  However, there is much that is good and true in these books, which can be used to help us to better understand our own faith, and which can uplift and instruct us, as we read them under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. 

 The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and a theologian whose writings have become modern Christian classics. While most of his other books were published posthumously by his friends and supporters, and are made up largely of letters and papers he wrote while in prison (and smuggled out), Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote The Cost of Discipleship in 1937, before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Bonhoeffer's theology of costly discipleship was a reaction against the evils of Nazism, and in particular (what he saw as) the collaboration of the German church with the Nazi regime.  Far from being an abstract treatment of theological theory, Bonhoeffer soon had the opportunity to put what he taught into practice.  He fearlessly spoke out against the Nazis as they rose to power, and he continued to oppose them, even when doing so put his life in danger.  At one point Bonhoeffer had to escape to England to avoid being imprisoned (or worse), but after a time he felt it was his duty to return to Germany to stand for the right, and also to minister to his fellow Germans who didn't have the luxury of escape.

It was not long after his return to Germany that Bonhoeffer was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in a concentration camp.  By all accounts, he continued to minister to his fellow prisoners up until the day he was executed, just two weeks before the camp was liberated by the allies.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is considered one of the great Christian martyrs of the 20th century.  His life is as much a testimony of Christ as are his writings.  In many ways, he lived up to everything he taught in The Cost of Discipleship. All who claim to follow Christ can benefit from the teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

In his book The Cost of Discipleship, Bonhoeffer decries the notion of religion that costs little, and which requires no real sacrifice to follow.  He denounces such teachings as amounting to "cheap grace."  Bonhoeffer insists that true discipleship comes at a cost.  All those who are called to follow Christ are called to sacrifice all that they have and are, in order that they may put on Christ and be made a new creature in Him and through him.

Using the Sermon on the Mount as the structure and basis for his book, Bonhoeffer outlines the basic attributes and requirements of a life devoted to following Christ.  It is telling that the original German title "Nachfolge" refers to the act of following, or the emulation of Jesus Christ.

Bonhoeffer's understanding of the nature of discipleship and the effects which the atonement is meant to produce in each of us (as we choose to follow Christ) is largely unparalleled in the modern Christian world. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s writings are occasionally quoted directly by LDS General Authorities, both over the pulpit in General Conference, as well as in other contexts.  In fact, I have noticed that Bonhoeffer’s writings have been quoted with greater frequency in recent years.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson quoted extensively from a passage from Bonhoeffer's Letters and Papers From Prison as the basis for a talk which he gave in the April 2015 General Conference called “Why Marriage, Why Family.”  As far back as 1999, Bonhoeffer’s writings served as the basis for a first presidency message called “The Price of Discipleship,” which was written by James E. Faust:

“True followers of the Savior should be prepared to lay down their lives, and some have been privileged to do so. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him to come and die.” The Doctrine and Covenants counsels us:
 “Let no man be afraid to lay down his life for my sake; for whoso layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again.
 “And whoso is not willing to lay down his life for my sake is not my disciple” (D&C 103:27–28).
 For most of us, however, what is required is not to die for the Church but to live for it. The price of discipleship may mean leaving behind many things. Some have learned how dear a price it is to leave loved ones in order to be baptized. Yet Jesus taught, “Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” (Matt. 19:29).
 Living a Christlike life every day may for many be even more difficult than laying down one’s life.” (James E. Faust, “The Price of Discipleship,” Ensign, April 1999, lds.org).

More recently, in January 2017, Jeffrey R. Holland quoted Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship in an address given at the Salt Lake Institute (as reported in the Church News): 

“Elder Holland spoke of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “a bright German young theologian who was growing up in Nazi Germany in the '30s.” Bonhoeffer came to America to study at the Union Theological Seminary in New York just immediately before Hitler invaded Poland in 1939. Even though he was encouraged to stay in America where he would be safe, Bonhoeffer returned to Germany. “He went back and joined the underground against the Nazi regime, was captured and kept in prison, and … was executed two weeks before his camp was liberated by the allied forces.”
 While in prison, Bonhoeffer wrote remarkable letters to family members and friends in Europe and the United States. Elder Holland quoted one of those letters, saying, “We must follow Christ with every ounce of our being in every moment in every part of our life. Christ must be brought into every square inch of the world and its culture. One’s faith must be shining and bright and pure and robust.”
 Elder Holland then asked the students, in good times or in bad, to “follow Christ with every ounce of our being in every moment.” (Valerie Johnson & Rachel Sterzer, “Apostles Counsel Young Adults about Political Divisions and Meeting Life’s Challenges,” Church News, January 20, 2017, lds.org).

Clearly, there is much that is of value which can be found in the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  While he may differ in his faith and in his understanding of Christianity, there is much of worth in his writings, as well as in his exemplary life which you and I can apply to our own pursuit of Christian discipleship.

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

It will surely be no surprise to most of my LDS readers to find C.S. Lewis featured on this list. Mormons love C.S. Lewis. His writings have been quoted extensively and frequently by the Apostles and other General Authorities for decades.

“Perhaps the reason Lewis is quoted so often [in LDS circles] is because he discusses mankind’s frailties through the ‘small sins’ of everyday life. His voice is not one of a university professor, but has an ‘every man’ quality, as though he is struggling beside us, which enables people of all kinds to relate to his message.”[1]

           

C. S. Lewis published many books, addresses, letters, and essays throughout his life. I selected Mere Christianity to recommend to an LDS audience because in it Lewis presents a readable and easy to understand introduction to the most fundamental concepts of Christian faith.

In Mere Christianity, Lewis presents an argument that underscores the very nature of Christian belief and the reasons why Christians believe what they believe. Lewis breaks Christian doctrine down so succinctly that he is able to lay bare the most fundamental assumptions behind Christian teachings which most believers generally do not think too much about because we tend to accept them as a given. Mere Christianity can help us to examine our faith more deeply, and understand and explain it more clearly.

Lewis also has an unerring and keen insight into human nature and frailty, which enables him to cut through the self-justification and rationalization which even the best of us tend to allow to clutter our relationship with God, and cloud our ability to make right choices.

Mere Christianity does include a section in which Lewis presents his defense of the “doctrine” of the trinity, which Mormons will naturally fail to appreciate, however this does not mean that Mormons ought to reject or ignore this book out of hand. Mere Christianity is one of those “best books” from which we can obtain great treasures of knowledge and wisdom.

C.S. Lewis has been quoted in General Conference too many times to list all of them, but here is a link to an article that contains some notable instances in which Lewis’ words were spoken over the pulpit by noted General Authorities: 23 C.S. Lewis quotes shared in LDS general conference

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis

The Imitation of Christ is the oldest book on this list. It was published in the early fifteenth century by Thomas à Kempis, a canon regular in the Western Catholic church who was born in Germany in 1380. Canons regular are priests who live together in a community not unlike a monastic community, in that they follow a rule (usually the rule of St. Augustine) and hold all property in common, although they do not take formal vows in the same way that monks typically do. Thomas à Kempis was associated with a group known as the Brethren of the Common Life, and he eventually became a teacher and Master of Novices.

The Imitation of Christ is a devotional book written to help even lay members to develop an inner spiritual life of faith and devotion to the gospel. The Imitation of Christ is essentially a devotional manual designed to help those who read it to develop a life modeled on the example of Christ.

The reason this book is on this list is because it contains much gentle wisdom designed to help us to rid ourselves of worldly distractions, and ungodly habits (and attitudes) in order to develop a deeper and more profound relationship with our Father in Heaven. There is much in this book which will help readers to develop true meekness, and true humility as they seek to imitate the life and attributes of Jesus Christ. In addition, Thomas à Kempis provides valuable insights which will help a sincere follower of Christ to overcome adversity and temptation. Anyone who sincerely seeks to commune with God through prayer, study, and pondering and meditation will find this book to be an invaluable aid in their quest. 

The Greatest Thing in the World by Henry Drummond

Henry Drummond was a Christian evangelist and lecturer who published several books and essays, including The Greatest Thing in the World, a gem made up of a small collection of material from addresses given by Drummond, which was published in 1884.

While The Greatest Thing in the World is usually described as a meditation on 1 Corinthians 13, I think it would be more accurate to describe it as an exploration of Christlike love (or charity as it is in the KJV), and how it ought to operate in transforming the inward and outward life of anyone who truly seeks to follow Christ. Spoiler alert: the greatest thing in the world is the pure love of Christ!

Drummond boils the gospel down to its essence, and helps us understand what Paul meant when he said that charity is greater than faith and hope, or when he taught that love is the fulfilling of the law. He also uses Paul’s analysis of love in 1 Corinthians 13 to describe what he calls “The Spectrum of Love,” which is made up of nine virtues which LDS church members know as “Christlike attributes.” These include patience, humility, kindness, unselfishness, and guilelessness, among others. Drummond points out that Paul taught that these nine elemental virtues are what make up Christlike love, as well as “the stature of the perfect man,” a reference to Ephesians 4:13 (Henry Drummond, The Greatest Thing in the World, 19-20). Drummond describes each virtue briefly, using the life of Christ as a model for how each virtue ought to be applied in the life of a Christian.

Kindness. Love active. Have you ever noticed how much of Christ’s life was spent in doing kind things—in merely doing kind things? Run over it with that in view, and you will find that he spent a great proportion of His time simply in making people happy, in doing good turns to people. There is only one thing greater than happiness in this world, and that is holiness; and it is not in our keeping; but what God has put in our power is the happiness of those about us, and that is largely to be secured by being kind to them (Henry Drummond, The Greatest Thing in the World, 21).

The Greatest Thing in the World is a simple and yet beautiful testament to the power of Christ’s love to produce a deep and abiding spiritual conversion in all those who seek to love as He loved, and who are willing to live as He lived. Henry Drummond’s book is not made up of mere platitudes, rather, it is meant to highlight the path of discipleship for all who seek to follow it. It is a roadmap to help us to apply these principles in our everyday lives—"to have these things fitted into our characters…to learn Love” (Henry Drummond, The Greatest Thing in the World, 35).

What makes a man a good man? Practice. Nothing else. There is nothing capricious about religion. We do not get the soul in different ways, under different laws, from those in which we get the body and the mind. If a man does not exercise his arm he develops no biceps muscle; and if a man does not exercise his soul, he acquires no muscle in his soul, no strength of character, no vigor of moral fibre, nor beauty of spiritual growth. Love is not a thing of enthusiastic emotion. It is a rich, strong…vigorous expression of the whole round Christian character—the Christlike nature in its fullest development (Henry Drummond, The Greatest Thing in the World, 35-36).

Henry Drummond wrote and spoke so long ago that it has been some time since he has been quoted by the leaders of the LDS church. However, there was a time when his writings were current and influential, even among members of the LDS church. In fact, you will find Drummond’s works quoted directly in older LDS works, such as The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, which was compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith. Specifically, Smith cites Drummond as an example of the Christian world beginning to come around to doctrine taught by the prophet Joseph Smith (see footnote p. 346). You will also find a few references taken from Henry Drummond and The Greatest Thing in the World scattered among conference talks and Ensign articles, but most of these are from the 1970s and 80s. It is therefore past time for members of the LDS church to rediscover this Christian classic, and its author Henry Drummond. The Greatest Thing in the World continues to be a classic of Christian thought, and the principles taught within it will bless anyone who reads them and applies them in their life.

As A Man Thinketh by James Allen

As a Man Thinketh is easily the shortest book on this list.  In fact, it is so short that one might be excused for calling it an essay instead of a book.  And yet, James Allen manages to pack so many simple truths into just 22 pages.

The title of this book refers to a scripture found in Proverbs 23:7.   In his book, Allen declares that our character is “the complete sum of all of [our] thoughts.” Who we are, and where we are, in life is largely the result of our own actions and choices, all of which began as thoughts and desires.

As a Man Thinketh deals with the need to master your thoughts, as a way to gain mastery over your actions, habits, and the overall direction of your life.  You can choose what you allow to cross the stage of your mind.  You are not a hapless, helpless victim of your thoughts and impulses.

Boyd K. Packer’s talks often contain ideas that are influenced by those found in “As a Man Thinketh.”

“I have come to know that thoughts, like water, will stay on course if we make a place for them to go. Otherwise, our thoughts follow the course of least resistance, always seeking the lower levels. Probably the greatest challenge and the most difficult thing you will face in mortal life is to learn to control your thoughts. In the Bible it says, as a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Those who can control their thoughts have conquered themselves.” (Boyd K. Packer, “Worthy Music, Worthy Thoughts,” Ensign, April 2008).

L. Tom Perry once based an entire conference talk around James Allen’s As A Man Thinketh:

“One of those corners of our lives is in the special attention we give in the area of thoughts. We must continually look out for those idle times when our minds are allowed to wander into territory that should be avoided. In Proverbs we read, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). And Jude has written, “Filthy dreamers defile the flesh” (Jude 1:8). One way or another our thoughts shape our lives. James Allen has expressed it this way in his book As a Man Thinketh:
 “As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them. This applies equally to those acts called ‘spontaneous’ and ‘unpremeditated’ as to those which are deliberately executed. …
 “In the armoury of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. … Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master. … Man is the master of thought, the moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny” (As a Man Thinketh [1983], 7–10).
 In another passage Mr. Allen added: “Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstance” (As a Man Thinketh, 33–34).
 Truly one of the corners we must diligently strive to keep clean is our thoughts. The ideal is to keep our thoughts focused on spiritual things.” (L. Tom Perry, “Discipleship,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, lds.org). 

Clearly, As A Man Thinketh has been incredibly influential in LDS circles, and rightfully so. Each of us can benefit by learning to bring our thoughts and desires under control, and this book contains much that ca help us to accomplish this.

Honorable Mention: The Reason For God by Timothy Keller

This book is too new to be considered a classic, however I would recommend it highly. In this book, Pastor Timothy Keller presents a well-reasoned and reasonable argument for the existence and the reality of a living God, as well as the reason why that ought to mean anything to you and me. This book reminded me of Mere Christianity in that it strikes at the fundamental reasons for Christian faith, reasons which you and I may take for granted, and which we may never have full considered. The  Reason For God contains many helpful insights, and it is designed for the modern skeptical American, which makes it especially pertinent and useful.

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[1] Marianna Edwards Richardson and Christine Thackeray, C. S. Lewis: Latter-Day Truths in Narnia, (Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, 2008), quoted in Sarah Petersen and Abby Stevens, “23 C.S. Lewis quotes shared in LDS general conference,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City, UT), Nov. 24, 2013.