Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means old books -C.S. Lewis “On the Reading of Old Books”

Some of the best advise I have ever been given has come in the form of two words: read this. Time and again I have had mentors, friends and spiritual directors recommend books that have had a profound influence on my life and on my faith. The list that I present below is by no means exhaustive, but represents some of the most treasured and well worn volumes on my bookshelf. Some of these books would be appropriate for anyone wishing to have a deeper understanding of the faith (e.g., “The Catholic Religion” by Vernon Staley); some are very specifically resources for priests and liturgy nerds (e.g., “Ritual Notes”); and some are just plain fun (e.g., “The Towers of Trebizond” by Rose Macaulay).

Some of these books are recommendations from colleagues of mine in the Society of Catholic Priests. As I attended our conference this year in Atlanta, I was reminded that one of the greatest things we as priests have to share with each other (and hopefully with the rest of the world as well) is wisdom. So here is a list of books that an Anglican in the Catholic tradition may wish to have on their bookshelf.

Not all of these books are about Anglo-Catholicism per se, but are about the Catholic Faith in general. Most are old, but some are new. I intend to update this list from time to time as I discover or am referred to new resources.

General Religion/Faith/Anglo-Catholicism

The Catholic Religion: A Manual of Instruction for Members of the Anglican Church by Vernon Staley

The King’s Highway by G.D. Carleton

Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton

Heresy by G.K. Chesterton

The Everlasting Man by G.K. Chesterton

Heresy by Alister McGrath

Paths in Spirituality by John Macquarrie

The Gospel and the Catholic Church by Michael Ramsey

Dogmatics in Outline by Karl Barth

Why Sacraments? by Andrew Davison

He who is: a study in traditional theism by E.L. Mascall

Existence and Analogy by E.L. Mascall

Priesthood and Prayer by Bede Frost

The Return of Christendom by Maurice Reckitt et al.

Reconciliation: Preparing for confession in the Episcopal Church by Martin Smith

Soul Friend by Kenneth Leech

Saving Belief by Austin Farrer

We Preach Christ Crucified by Kenneth Leech

The Christian Priest Today by Michael Ramsey

The Rule of Saint Benedict by Joan Chittester

The Divine Milieu by Pierre Teillard de Chardin

Thoughts in Solitude by Thomas Merton

Foundations by Karl Rahner

The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity by Richard Hooker

Prices Private by Lancelot Andrews

Anglo-Catholic in Religion: T.S. Elliot and Christianity by Barry Spurr

Tokens of Trust by Rowan Williams

The Love of Learning and the Desire for God by Jean Leclercq

Corpus Christi by E.L. Mascall

Signs of Life (40 Catholic Customs and their Biblical Roots) by Scott Hahn

Books about Anglo-Catholic History

Walsingham Way by Colin Stephenson

Anglo-Catholicism by Sheila Kaye-Smith

The Vision Glorious by Geoffrey Rowell

The Ecclesiastical History of the English People by Bede

Books about liturgy, or prayer books

The Parson’s Handbook by Percy Dearmer

The Mass of the Roman Rite by Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J.

Saint Augustine’s Prayer Book by David Cobb and Derek Olsen

The Ritual Reason Why by Charles Walker and Thomas Ball

Ritual Notes by E.C.R. Lamburn

The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described by Adrian Fortescue

The Anglican Missal

Books mostly for fun

The Towers of Trebizond by Rose Macaulay

Merrily on High by Colin Stephenson

Absolute Truths by Susan Howatch

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym