Resources for Eastertide

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is so central to our faith, that the Church has designated fifty days to ponder and celebrate this glorious event. We encourage us as a church to spend time thinking and reflecting on what it means that God raised Jesus from the dead. To help you in this, we have compiled a list of great books on Easter for individuals and families. If you have other Easter resources which are meaningful to you or your family, please share! Send them to Lisa McCowen.

Titles for adults

• Cur Deus Homo: Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury. Written between 1095 and 1098 when Anselm was Archbishop of Canterbury, this masterpiece was written to explain not only why God became a man but why Jesus had to die to atone for the sins of humanity.

• Between Midnight and Dawn A Literary Guide to Prayer for Lent, Holy Week, and Eastertide, compiled by Sarah Arthur. This collection of poems and selections from novels and short stories is diverse, rich, and provocative.

• Meditations on the Cross, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The cross and the resurrection were central themes for Bonhoeffer's theology. These excerpts from sermons and letters contain his personal reflections on the crucifixion and the power of the cross for all Christians.

• Word in the Wilderness: A poem a day for Lent and Easter, by Malcom Guite. This is a wonderful collection of poems for the season.

• Practice Resurrection, by Eugene Peterson. In this helpful book, Peterson uses the book of Ephesians to understand what it means to "grow up" in Christ. This is a wonderful book to read during Eastertide as a way to come to terms with the practical implications of Jesus' resurrection in your life.

• The Undoing of Death: Sermons for Holy Week and Easter, by Fleming Rutledge. Rutledge, proudly evangelical in her proclamation of the Gospel, provides a penetrating analysis of the human condition and a clear affirmation of God's gracious response through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

• The Cross of Christ, by John Stott. This is becoming a classic book. The late Anglican pastor and thinker writes lucidly on why Jesus had to die. His three chapters on "The Problem of Forgiveness," "The Satisfaction for Sin," and the "Self Substitution of God" are masterpieces every believer should read and understand. Many misunderstandings of the Gospel and many doubts that arise in Christians' minds are due to a misunderstanding of these matters. Stott not only explains what the Bible teaches, he also explains why it has to be this way.

• Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, by N.T. Wright. In this very readable book, Anglican scholar and former bishop, N.T. Wright very helpfully explains how Easter changed everything. Now, because of the resurrection of Christ and God’s promise to return and renew the earth through him, “nothing we do for the Lord is ever useless."

Titles For Families & Children

(links to a review and more information about each book on a wonderful blog--Aslan’s Library):