To reverse an old aphorism: We must pray as if it all depends on us, and work as if it all depends on God (yes, you read that correctly)! God is humble and never comes if not first invited, but God will find some clever way to get invited.
One clever way God invites us is through the thoughts, opinions, and research of others. I have loved reading ever since I got my first library card back in 1955. “Books and doors are the same, said Jeannette Winterson, open them and you go through to another world.”
They also give you another perspective from a different time and place. Most of Catholicism’s teachings have been based on the interpretations of Scripture by the “Fathers of the Church” and then by the male theologians and saints who are called “doctors” of the church. There are 36 such “doctors” but only four of them are women!
The major influences in Catholic theology and teaching has come from popes, cardinals, bishops and male clerics who were the founders or members of religious orders like the Benedictines, Dominicans, and the Franciscans. Their female counterparts were usually relegated to insights about prayer and spirituality and not too influential regarding doctrines, dogmas, and teachings. Most of the latter has come from popes and theologians who were male. Patriarchy is a systemic problem in the Catholic Church and indeed in Christianity! It gives a very limited perspective.
Check this post often as I will add to it the book titles and names of authors whom I believe are making the most contribution to “thinking outside the box” for Catholicism.
By Category
Some of my favorite books
Church
Clericalism: The Death of Priesthood George Wilson, S.J.
The Other Side of the Altar: One Man’s Life in the Catholic Priesthood Paul E. Dinter
The Liberation of the Laity Paul Lakeland
Empire Baptized: How the Church Embraced What Jesus Rejected Wes Howard-Brook
A Pilgrimage to Eternity Timothy Egan
The Truth At The Heart of the Lie James Carroll
For the Love of God: How the Church is Better and Worse Than Ever Natasha Moore
What Jesus Meant Gary Wills
Christ in Crisis Jim Wallace
In the Closet of the Vatican Frederic Martel
The Kingdom of God is Within You Leo Tolstoy
Whose Church? Daniel C. Maguire
Bad Shepherds: The Dark Years in Which the Faithful Thrived While the Bishops Dod the Devil’s Work Rod Bennett
A People Adrift Peter Steinfels
Head and Heart By Gary Wills
The Other Side of the Altar Paul Dinter
For the Love of God: How the Church id Better and Worse Than You Ever Imagined Natsha Moore
Catholic Church History
Dark History of the Catholic Church…. Michael Kerrigan
Christianity
Saving Paradise Rita Nakashima Brock, Rebecca Ann Parker
WhyChristianity Must Change or Die John Shelby Spong
After Jesus Before Christianity Erin Vearncombe
The Triumph of Christianity How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World Bart Erhman
Head and Heart: A History of Christianity in America Gary Wills
A Pilgrimage to Eternity Timothy Egan
Discipleship J. Henrich Arnold
Why Christianity Must Change or Die John Shelby Spong
After Jesus Before Christianity Erin Vearncomb
When Christians Were Jews Paula Fredriksen
The Kingdom of God is Within You Leo Tolstoy
‘Come Out, My People” God’s Call Out of Empire in the Bible and Beyond Wes Howard-Brook
Empire Baptized: How the Church Embraced What Jesus Rejected Wes Howard-Brook
Christology
Christ in Evolution Ilia Delio
Jesus Symbol of God Roger Haight
Excavating Jesus John Dominic Crossan
Jesus John Dominic Crossan
The New Dance of Christ Anthony Massimini
Misquoting Jesus Bart D. Ehrman
Jesus and Buddha edited by Marcus Borg
Meeting Jesus Againfor the First Time Marcus Borg
Jesus Bart Ehrman
Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography Bruce Chilton
Christ in Crisis Jum Wallis
Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography John Dominic Crossan
God and Empire: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now John Dominic Crossan
Jesus Before the Gospels Bart Erhman
Scripture
Mary Magdalen: Myth and Metaphor Susan Haskins
Woman First Among the Faithful Francis J. Maloney, SDB
The Women Around Jesus Elizabeth Moltmann-WEndel
Women in the New Testament Mary Ann Getty-Sullivan
Psalms Now Leslie F. Brandt & Corita Kent
A Short Dictionary of the Psalms Jean-Pierre Prevost
The Spirituality of the Psalms Carroll Stuhmueller
The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic John Shelby Spong
Jesus Before the Gospels Bart Ehrman
Jesus Symbol of God Rodger Haight
Religion
Back Pocket God Denton and Flory
The Varieties of Religious Experience William James
A Religion of One’s Own Thomas Moore
Anatomy of the Sacred James C. Livingston
The Sacred Quest Cunningham, Kelsay, et al.
Beyond Religion David Elkins
Studying Religion Gary E. Kessler
Introduction to the Study of Religion Ring, Nash, et al.
The Elementary Forms of Religious Life Emile Durkheim
The Range of Religion Denise and John Carmody
Religion in Human Evolution Robert Bellah
The Great Transformation Karen Armstrong
Caesar’s Coin: Religion and Politics Richard P. McBrien
What is Religion? John F. Haught
Religion in Exile Diarmuid O’Murchu
Why Religion Matters Huston Smith
Theories of Primitive Religion E.E.Evans-Pritchard
A History of Religious Ideas Mircea Eliade
At the Altar of Wall Street Scott W. Gustafson
Anthropology and Religion Robert L. Winzeler
The Immortality Key Brian C. Muraresku
Faith/Belief
Atheism in Our Time Ignace Lepp
Spirituality
The Spirit of One Earth Ursula King
The Gift of Years Joan Chittister
The Spiritual Life Evelyn Underhill
Care of the Soul Thomas Moore
Ageless Soul Thomas Moore
Prayer: Our Deepest Longing Ronald Rolheiser
Wrestling With God Ronald Rolheiser
Divine Essence John Roger
Beyond Religion David Elkins
Through the Narrow Gate Karen Armstrong
Prayer
This Little Light Michael O’Neil McGrath
Daily Reflections
Fragments of Your Ancient Name Joyce Rupp
Bread for the Journey Henri Nouwen
God
The Battle for God Karen Armstrong
The Case for God Karen Armstrong
A History of God Karen Armstrong
The God Gene Dean Hammer
The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Armand Nicholl, Jr.
Engagement with God Hans Urs von Balthasar
The Mind of God Jay Lombard
The God Who Won’t Let Go Peter van Breemen, S.J.
No God but God Reza Aslan
An Unsettling God Walter Brueggmann
The Tripersonal God Gerald O’ Collins, S.J.
The Three Persons in One God Gerald S. Sloyan
God, Galileo, and Geering Robert Jones
The Tears of God Wilfred Harrington
Autobiography
The Long Loneliness Dorthy Day
Through the Narrow Gate Karen Armstrong
Hagiography
The Lives of the Virgin Saints Giselle Potter
Saint John XXIII
An Artist and the Pope Giacomo Manzu
Pope John XXIII A Spiritual Biography Christian Feldman
Books written by Catholic Saints
The Spiritual Directory Francis de Sales
Devotions, Prayers, Living Wisdom Teresa of Avila
Confessions Augustine of Hippo
City of God Augustine of Hippo
On Grace and Free Will Augustine of Hippo
Fiction
The Two Popes Anthony McCarten
Papal
Statements, Reflections, Encyclicals,Misc.
Happiness in This Life, Pope Francis
Laudato Si, Pope Francis
Theology
Eternal Life John Shelby Spong
Theology and Sanity F.J. Sheed
Journeys to Heaven and Hell Bart Ehrman
Philosophy
Psychology
Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychologist’s Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption M. Scott Peck
Retired Director of Religious Education for the Catholic Church since 2014, granted a B.A. in Philosophy from St. Charles Seminary, an M.A. in Religious Studies from St. Charles Seminary, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Immaculata University, and a Doctor of Ministry from the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Spiritual Well-Being Counselor
Faith Seeking Understanding 
A Library to Nurture the Whole Person
To reverse an old aphorism: We must pray as if it all depends on us, and work as if it all depends on God (yes, you read that correctly)! God is humble and never comes if not first invited, but God will find some clever way to get invited.
One clever way God invites us is through the thoughts, opinions, and research of others. I have loved reading ever since I got my first library card back in 1955. “Books and doors are the same, said Jeannette Winterson, open them and you go through to another world.”
They also give you another perspective from a different time and place. Most of Catholicism’s teachings have been based on the interpretations of Scripture by the “Fathers of the Church” and then by the male theologians and saints who are called “doctors” of the church. There are 36 such “doctors” but only four of them are women!
The major influences in Catholic theology and teaching has come from popes, cardinals, bishops and male clerics who were the founders or members of religious orders like the Benedictines, Dominicans, and the Franciscans. Their female counterparts were usually relegated to insights about prayer and spirituality and not too influential regarding doctrines, dogmas, and teachings. Most of the latter has come from popes and theologians who were male. Patriarchy is a systemic problem in the Catholic Church and indeed in Christianity! It gives a very limited perspective.
Check this post often as I will add to it the book titles and names of authors whom I believe are making the most contribution to “thinking outside the box” for Catholicism.
Some of my favorite books
Church
Clericalism: The Death of Priesthood George Wilson, S.J.
The Other Side of the Altar: One Man’s Life in the Catholic Priesthood Paul E. Dinter
The Liberation of the Laity Paul Lakeland
Empire Baptized: How the Church Embraced What Jesus Rejected Wes Howard-Brook
A Pilgrimage to Eternity Timothy Egan
The Truth At The Heart of the Lie James Carroll
For the Love of God: How the Church is Better and Worse Than Ever Natasha Moore
What Jesus Meant Gary Wills
Christ in Crisis Jim Wallace
In the Closet of the Vatican Frederic Martel
The Kingdom of God is Within You Leo Tolstoy
Whose Church? Daniel C. Maguire
Bad Shepherds: The Dark Years in Which the Faithful Thrived While the Bishops Dod the Devil’s Work Rod Bennett
A People Adrift Peter Steinfels
Head and Heart By Gary Wills
The Other Side of the Altar Paul Dinter
For the Love of God: How the Church id Better and Worse Than You Ever Imagined Natsha Moore
Catholic Church History
Dark History of the Catholic Church…. Michael Kerrigan
Christianity
Saving Paradise Rita Nakashima Brock, Rebecca Ann Parker
Why Christianity Must Change or Die John Shelby Spong
After Jesus Before Christianity Erin Vearncombe
The Triumph of Christianity How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World Bart Erhman
Head and Heart: A History of Christianity in America Gary Wills
A Pilgrimage to Eternity Timothy Egan
Discipleship J. Henrich Arnold
Why Christianity Must Change or Die John Shelby Spong
After Jesus Before Christianity Erin Vearncomb
When Christians Were Jews Paula Fredriksen
The Kingdom of God is Within You Leo Tolstoy
‘Come Out, My People” God’s Call Out of Empire in the Bible and Beyond Wes Howard-Brook
Empire Baptized: How the Church Embraced What Jesus Rejected Wes Howard-Brook
Christology
Christ in Evolution Ilia Delio
Jesus Symbol of God Roger Haight
Excavating Jesus John Dominic Crossan
Jesus John Dominic Crossan
The New Dance of Christ Anthony Massimini
Misquoting Jesus Bart D. Ehrman
Jesus and Buddha edited by Marcus Borg
Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time Marcus Borg
Jesus Bart Ehrman
Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography Bruce Chilton
Christ in Crisis Jum Wallis
Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography John Dominic Crossan
God and Empire: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now John Dominic Crossan
Jesus Before the Gospels Bart Erhman
Scripture
Mary Magdalen: Myth and Metaphor Susan Haskins
Woman First Among the Faithful Francis J. Maloney, SDB
The Women Around Jesus Elizabeth Moltmann-WEndel
Women in the New Testament Mary Ann Getty-Sullivan
Psalms Now Leslie F. Brandt & Corita Kent
A Short Dictionary of the Psalms Jean-Pierre Prevost
The Spirituality of the Psalms Carroll Stuhmueller
The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic John Shelby Spong
Jesus Before the Gospels Bart Ehrman
Jesus Symbol of God Rodger Haight
Religion
Back Pocket God Denton and Flory
The Varieties of Religious Experience William James
A Religion of One’s Own Thomas Moore
Anatomy of the Sacred James C. Livingston
The Sacred Quest Cunningham, Kelsay, et al.
Beyond Religion David Elkins
Studying Religion Gary E. Kessler
Introduction to the Study of Religion Ring, Nash, et al.
The Elementary Forms of Religious Life Emile Durkheim
The Range of Religion Denise and John Carmody
Religion in Human Evolution Robert Bellah
The Great Transformation Karen Armstrong
Caesar’s Coin: Religion and Politics Richard P. McBrien
What is Religion? John F. Haught
Religion in Exile Diarmuid O’Murchu
Why Religion Matters Huston Smith
Theories of Primitive Religion E.E.Evans-Pritchard
A History of Religious Ideas Mircea Eliade
At the Altar of Wall Street Scott W. Gustafson
Anthropology and Religion Robert L. Winzeler
The Immortality Key Brian C. Muraresku
Faith/Belief
Atheism in Our Time Ignace Lepp
Spirituality
The Spirit of One Earth Ursula King
The Gift of Years Joan Chittister
The Spiritual Life Evelyn Underhill
Care of the Soul Thomas Moore
Ageless Soul Thomas Moore
Prayer: Our Deepest Longing Ronald Rolheiser
Wrestling With God Ronald Rolheiser
Divine Essence John Roger
Beyond Religion David Elkins
Through the Narrow Gate Karen Armstrong
Prayer
This Little Light Michael O’Neil McGrath
Daily Reflections
Fragments of Your Ancient Name Joyce Rupp
Bread for the Journey Henri Nouwen
God
The Battle for God Karen Armstrong
The Case for God Karen Armstrong
A History of God Karen Armstrong
The God Gene Dean Hammer
The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Armand Nicholl, Jr.
Engagement with God Hans Urs von Balthasar
The Mind of God Jay Lombard
The God Who Won’t Let Go Peter van Breemen, S.J.
No God but God Reza Aslan
An Unsettling God Walter Brueggmann
The Tripersonal God Gerald O’ Collins, S.J.
The Three Persons in One God Gerald S. Sloyan
God, Galileo, and Geering Robert Jones
The Tears of God Wilfred Harrington
Autobiography
The Long Loneliness Dorthy Day
Through the Narrow Gate Karen Armstrong
Hagiography
The Lives of the Virgin Saints Giselle Potter
Saint John XXIII
An Artist and the Pope Giacomo Manzu
Pope John XXIII A Spiritual Biography Christian Feldman
Books written by Catholic Saints
The Spiritual Directory Francis de Sales
Devotions, Prayers, Living Wisdom Teresa of Avila
Confessions Augustine of Hippo
City of God Augustine of Hippo
On Grace and Free Will Augustine of Hippo
Fiction
The Two Popes Anthony McCarten
Papal
Statements, Reflections, Encyclicals, Misc.
Happiness in This Life, Pope Francis
Laudato Si, Pope Francis
Theology
Eternal Life John Shelby Spong
Theology and Sanity F.J. Sheed
Journeys to Heaven and Hell Bart Ehrman
Philosophy
Psychology
Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychologist’s Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption M. Scott Peck
Christian Art Books
Angels Marco Bussagli
Christian Music Books
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About Dr. Ernie Sherretta, D. Min.
Retired Director of Religious Education for the Catholic Church since 2014, granted a B.A. in Philosophy from St. Charles Seminary, an M.A. in Religious Studies from St. Charles Seminary, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Immaculata University, and a Doctor of Ministry from the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Spiritual Well-Being Counselor