The Christ of Christmas: The Advent Reader

by Calvin Miller

A collection of devotional readings for the Advent season pairs each with a full-page scripture reading, quotes, and prayers, presenting daily themes and discussion questions that can be incorporated into family or group sessions.

Genres: Christmas, Devotional, Christian, Nonfiction, Faith, Holiday, Christianity

Hardcover

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

Calvin Miller has written over 40 books of popular theology and inspiration. A former pastor, he is professor of preaching and pastoral ministry at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. He and his wife, Joyce, have two grown children.

Reviews

[Penny -Thecatladybooknook]

Highly recommend for Advent reading.

[Kerr Howell]

Every year our family goes through an advent devotion together. This is the one we picked this year. What I enjoyed is that this one has some really good things to think about during the season and it hits from many different perspectives and characters that were involved in the Christmas story. Calvin Miller is a very good writer. We used this devotional with the common book of prayer advent prayers. The short daily devotionals as perfect to read as we ate dinner. A great family Christmas devotion.

[L.A. Deming]

A fabulously enlightening and thought-provoking series of devotionals to carry you through the Christmas season in a reverential frame of mind. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to delve deeper into the birth of Emmanuel and what it means for every human being.

[Kathleen]

A solid Advent book of Nativity reflections. I enjoyed it well enough, but will pass it on for someone else to read next year.

[Timothy Darling]

Since I am not very good at regimenting myself to a scheduled devotional, I may not be the best judge of this book's quality. It was good, but not as good as I expected. Miller has been around for a long time, considered one of the church's artistic writers. I did not see much of it. He came across more like a preacher than a poet. That is not to say that the book was devoid of good stuff. He had some good observations and some interesting insights into the nativity. In all, I liked the book and it held me throughout the season. I'm not sure, though, that I would go out of my way to recommend it to a person or a group. If someone asks me, I would give it to them and endorse it, but only because it is good in theology and not too pedantic, not because I think it's better than others that may be out there. Read Miller for his truth more than his profundity or innovation. Read him because he's right, not because he's gifted.

[Elizabeth]

This is a wonderful devotional to read during the month of December to really prepare your heart for Christmas and then finish out the month. I have read it for three years now and finally read beyond December 25 this time around. I used to read God Came Near by Max Lucado during Advent, but I find Miller has a bit more depth. It's remarkable how different devotionals strike me from year to year.

[Deborah Boutwell]

31 daily Advent devotionals, includes references to the months, days, years before and after the birth of Christ, focusing on key characters and event. Short, heart-opening devotions, additional readings and a prayer for each day.

My review will appear in the December issue of Exemplify on-line magazine.

[Marguerite Harrell]

Great Advent book even though I wish it isn't in Message Translation. I kept double checking for clarity to make sure that is what it suppose to said in that translation. Great Advent book to read again.

[Denise Ryan]

This is truly my favorite Advent reading. The poet Calvin Miller begins inspiration as one reflects on the stories of Christmas.

[Kristy]

A daily reading each day thru Adven with additional reading suggestions from the Bible.

[Ira Livingston]

Read this during the holiday season. Nice reminder of what Christmas is about.

[Paula Heilbrun]

Nice to have during advent

I wanted a Christmas devotional and this one was a good one for me. I look forward to reading it next Christmas season too.

[Lesley]

Daily reminders of what christmas is really about!