Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice

Accessible and engaging, this guide outlines several ways Christian thinkers–including Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Frederick Douglass, and Dorothy L. Sayers–approached the act of reading.

It also includes useful special features such as suggested reading lists, guided practices to approaching texts, and tips for meditating on specific texts or Bible passages. By learning to read for the love of God, readers will discover not only a renewed love of reading but also a new, vital spiritual practice to deepen their walk with God.

Contents
1. What Kind of Reader Are You?
2. Why Read Anything but the Bible?
Bookmark 1: Reading like Augustine of Hippo
3. What’s the Difference between “Use” and “Enjoy”?
4. Do Good Books Make You a Good Person?
Bookmark 2: Reading like Julian of Norwich
5. What Does the Trinity Have to Do with the ART of Reading?
Bookmark 3: Reading like Frederick Douglass
6. Why Do We Need Four Senses to Read?
7. How Can You Remember What You Read?
Bookmark 4: Reading like Dorothy L. Sayers
Conclusion
Appendix A: Twofold Reading of Flannery O’Connor’s “The River”
Appendix B: Frequently Asked Questions
Appendix C: Reading Lists of Great Books