Books for Every Season: Resources to Read Through the Church Year
Reading with the Church Through the Year
The church year is one of Christianity's oldest gifts to its people. For centuries and across traditions, Christians around the world have been ordering their lives around a shared calendar that moves through the story of Christ's life, death, and resurrection and invites us to inhabit that story season by season.
Whether you've observed the liturgical calendar your whole life or are just discovering it, this page is your guide to IVP resources organized by the rhythms of the church year. You don't need to belong to a particular tradition to observe and benefit from these seasons. The church year belongs to the whole church.
How to use this page: Browse by season to find books that fit where you are right now, or explore the full collection to build a year-round reading life rooted in the historic Christian story.
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Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany
The church year opens with a season of anticipation and hope as we look toward the mystery of the Incarnation in the birth of Christ. Advent includes the four weeks before Christmas and ends on December 24; the Christmas season begins December 25th and lasts twelve days; and Epiphany begins January 6th, celebrating the manifestation of Christ to the world.
Lent, Easter, and Pentecost
Lent begins forty days before Easter on Ash Wednesday, leading us through a season of repentance that echoes Christ's forty days in the wilderness as we await his death and resurrection on Easter Sunday. Then we begin a fifty-day celebration of the season of Easter, rejoicing in the resurrection life given to us in Christ. This season ends with Pentecost, marking the day that the Holy Spirit descended in Acts chapter 2 and the beginning of the church and its mission in the world.
Ordinary Time
Ordinary Time is the longest season of the church year, occurring both between Epiphany and Lent and between Pentecost and the following Advent. A vibrant season in its own right, the rhythms of this season teach us how to live faithfully in both the "normal" moments as well as the highs and lows of life.
Feast Days and More
Throughout the church year, there are particular days often called feast days that invite Christians to pause and remember the life and legacy of a particular saint. These days honor the men and women across Christian history whose lives bore witness to the faith in remarkable ways. Observing these days is an opportunity to recognize that we are a part of the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us and that stretches into eternity.
A note on dates: this page follows the Western church calendar, which is shared across most Protestant, Anglican, and Catholic traditions. Christians in Eastern Orthodox traditions and some others observe these seasons on different dates. Whatever your tradition, we hope these resources serve you well.
More on the Church Year
"No Country for Two Kings"
This poem by Leslie Leyland Fields was originally written for "A Radiant Birth" but didn't appear in the final edition. Read the bonus poem "No Country for Two Kings" and consider how Advent gives us the opportunity to choose which kingdom we pledge our allegiance to.
Dive Deep into the Theology of Lent and Easter
As we prepare for the sacred seasons of Lent and Easter, there's no better time to reflect deeply on the theology of Christ's passion, death, resurrection, and ascension.
‘Easter: The Season of the Resurrection of Jesus’ by Wesley Hill
This excerpt from Wesley Hill's Easter emphasizes celebrating the Easter season with joy and abundance. It explores historical traditions while suggesting creative new ways to honor Easter, from feasting and music to community gatherings. The passage encourages embodying the season’s spirit of celebration through worship, art, and more.
Helping Children Understand Lent through the Lens of Love
How can we discuss love in a way that makes sense to children? Ned Bustard, author of "Saint Valentine the Kindhearted," believes that the timing of Valentine's Day near the beginning of Lent offers the perfect opportunity to engage with your kids about the magnificent and unconditional love of God.
