Temptation: Seabury Classics

This short, readable, and profound book examines the preconditions of Christian spirituality. The jumping off point is a detailed analysis of the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness: to live for material things, to seek personal security, and to clamor for social position. Once we overcome these temptations, the path is cleared for a spiritual pilgrimage; if we are lucky, the pilgrimage culminates in trust in Christ and faith in the Resurrection. "Temptation" doesn't present a comprehensive apologetic for Christianity. Instead, it profoundly reorients the reader and offers a view of the human world in which Christianity can make sense. It is really, really good.