During Peace Month we will be posting a reading list for those who would like to expand their study on each of the “S.P.I.C.E.”s.  The first week’s set of books will be on Simplicity.

Introductory books on Simplicity:

Freedom of Simplicity, Richard J. Foster: Considered the primer for Christians wanting to learn about simplicity.  The publisher wrote: “Articulates a creative, more human style of living and points the way for Christians to make their lives “models of simplicity.”

Plain Living: A Quaker Path to Simplicity, Catherine Whitmire: For over three centuries Quakers(Friends) have been living out of a spiritual center in a way of life they call “plain living.” Their accumulated experiences and distilled wisdom have much to offer anyone seeking greater simplicity today.

Going Deeper with Simplicity:

Simpler Living, Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective, Edited by Michael Schut: This is a wonderful collection of writings from diverse voices – some quite surprising – exploring voluntary simplicity as a path to wholeness and abundance and compassion. Practical, prayerful, fun. — At The Center, St. Placid Priory Newsletter

Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, Richard Swenson:  This book is for anyone who yearns for relief from the pressure of overload. The benefits can be good health, financial stability, fulfilling relationships, and availability for God’s purpose.

The American Paradox: Spiritual Hunger in an Age of Plenty, David G. Myers: In this compelling book, well-known social psychologist David G. Myers asks why in an era of great material wealth America suffers from such a disturbing array of social problems that reflect a deep spiritual poverty. Examining the research on social ills from the 1960s through the 1990s, Myers concludes that materialism and radical individualism have cost us dearly. He offers positive, well-reasoned advice on how to spark social renewal and dream a new American dream.

Other titles that have been discussed:

A Testament of Devotion, Thomas R. Kelly:  Since its first publication in 1941, A Testament of Devotion, by the renowned Quaker teacher Thomas Kelly, has been universally embraced as a truly enduring spiritual classic. Plainspoken and deeply inspirational, it gathers together five compelling essays that urge us to center our lives on God’s presence, to find quiet and stillness within modern life, and to discover the deeply satisfying and lasting peace of the inner spiritual journey.

Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, Richard J. Foster: Hailed by many as the best modern book on Christian spirituality, Celebration of Discipline explores the “classic Disciplines,” or central spiritual practices, of the Christian faith. Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual growth can be found.

Most of these books can be borrowed from your local library, downloaded on eReaders, borrowed from friends, or found in our own SFC library.  We pray you take further time to explore a “simpler” life.