We don’t choose our obsessions; they choose us. I think that’s one of Irving’s zingers. Regardless, I concur.

Three of my obsessions are the Patristics and that era, and the associated heralds of the first 400 years of Christian history, Christian apologetics, and the writing of Cormac McCarthy. With those three in mind, here are three of my recent reads and some comments about each:

1. John “golden-mouthed” Chrysostom is an abiding favorite. This volume, On Living Simply, though but excerpts from some of his homilies, was a fine introduction to possibly the greatest preacher in church history (some would argue for Spurgeon or Whitefield or others to carry that mantle), but in terms of application of the gospel to the quotidian, Chrysostom is unparalleled. I prefer to read Jonathan Edwards’ and Lloyd-Jones’ sermons (both are easily available to those who care), but Chrysostom had a knack for connecting with his audiences, regardless of their education level. Edwards scratches my intellectual itches and Spurgeon preached sermons as well as Dickens wrote novels. There’s a reason both are recognized as classics.
2. Johnston’s Body of Proof is yet another book on the historical trustworthiness of the Gospels and a thoroughly-footnoted historical account of reasons for the Christian worldview. I didn’t find much new here but it is solid food for those who are open to actual history and are intellectually honest.
3. Third is another read I completed regarding the writer Cormac McCarthy. He will endure alongside Shakespeare, Milton, Chaucer, Dante, Dickens, Faulkner, and a few others as part of the Western canon. Cooper’s analysis was beautiful, amply-annotated, vetted, scholarly, and still very readable. Highly recommended.

Tollo lege.