I am in a Facebook group that was discussing The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher, and a memeber asked about any books about building community. I replied by telling them the three books I was currently reading, and allow me to review two of them. I'm still reading the third and will mention it later.
Building the Benedict Option: A Guide to Gathering Two or Three Together in His Name by Leah Libresco and The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World by Rosaria Butterfield have interesting similarities and contrasts. Both are written by former atheists who as adults converted to Christianity: Libresco to Catholicism, Butterfield to Reformed. Both distinguish true hospitality between counterfeit hospitality (when you pay for that hospitality). Also, both books came out in 2018.
Some of the differences are due to personality - Butterfield admits she's an introvert; I doubt that term fits Libresco. Others come from their theology. The main difference is that Libresco's focus is on how to create community and thus writes a lot about planned gatherings, while Butterfield's theme is that hospitiality is something that needs to be a part of our lives day in and day out.
Libresco's book was fun to read, and gave me some ideas, such as having a group discussing which saints influenced them (her approach was more Catholic than mine would be) and going Easter caroling (I love that idea - wish I thought of it sooner). She also encourages taking a role you enjoy doing. I would definitely recommend it.
If you had time for only one, though, I would point you towards Rosaria Butterfield's book. It deals with the cost of being hospitable, but makes the point that all Christians need to be hospitable. In it, she tells several stories about how hospitiality made a difference. One story was when a friend went in for eye surgery and told Rosaria she didn't need help and could get back and forth there and recover at home. Rosaria showed up at the clinic with her books and knitting, to let her friend know she was there for the long haul. Afterward, the friend stayed with Rosaria where she could recover.
The timing for the above question was excellent. I mentioned both of these books as well as the one I'm still reading: Kerry Nietz' Amish Werewolves of Space. You'll have to wait till I review that book to know if it also is a good book on hospitality.
And yes, I intentionally am posting this the Tuesday preceding Thanksgiving.
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