A Guide to Guides for Lent
During Lent, many of us choose to pick up a book to guide us through this season of fasting and repentance, remembering Christ’s own fasting in the desert and his journey to the cross. But, with such an abundance of these guides out there, which ones should we choose as our companion? Here’s a guide to guides for Lent, organized in four different categories:
- Books About Lent (by Anglican Authors)
- Lenten Bible Studies
- Lenten Liturgical Guides and Devotionals
- Spend Lent Walking with a Theologian
Books About Lent (by Anglican Authors)
What is Lent, and why do Christians observe it? Where did it originate, and why do some traditions embrace it while others do not? One meaningful way to engage with Lent is to deepen your understanding of its history, purpose, and practices. Many books explore the origins and significance of Lent, but the three selections below are written explicitly from an Anglican perspective, offering both historical depth and practical insight while remaining accessible to a broad audience. Whether you’re new to Lent or seeking a richer experience of the season, these books will help you understand the reason for the season:
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Aaron Damiani, The Good of Giving Up: Discovering the Freedom of Lent
For Christians who are curious or even skeptical about the tradition of Lent, The Good of Giving Up provides a compelling historical, theological, and practical case for its observance. Written by Aaron Damiani, rector of Immanuel Anglican Church in Chicago, this book traces his own journey from uncertainty about Lent to embracing its sacred rhythms with intentionality.
Damiani explores the purpose and practice of Lenten disciplines, offering clear guidance on how to observe Lent meaningfully, both individually and in community. He emphasizes that Lent is not a form of works of righteousness or a distraction from the core of Christian faith but rather a gift that invites believers into deeper discipleship through prayer, fasting, and generosity. Ultimately, The Good of Giving Up presents Lent as a season of spiritual training that shapes us in Christlikeness, making it a valuable resource for those seeking a structured and communal approach to growth in their faith.
Esau McCaulley, Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal
In Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal, Esau McCaulley approaches Lent from a practical perspective, asking: Why observe Lent? What does it do for us and in us? Drawing from his own background of skepticism toward liturgical practices, McCaulley offers both theological reflections on the purpose of Lent and practical guidance on how to observe it meaningfully. He examines the role of ritual in Scripture, particularly in the Old Testament, and challenges the notion that Jesus came to simply overturn such practices. Instead, he argues that Lent is not about legalistic obligation but about sincere devotion. McCaulley presents Lent as a season of intentional discipleship, one that deepens faith through reflection, discipline, and renewal.
Ashley Tumlin Wallace, The Liturgical Home: Lent
If you’ve ever needed help understanding, explaining, or practicing Lent, The Liturgical Home: Lent from Anglican Compass is an invaluable resource. As part of her Liturgical Home series with Anglican Compass, Ashley Tumlin Wallace offers deep insight into the various Lenten practices observed across Christian traditions. She answers common questions such as: Why is purple a symbol of Lent? Why don’t some Christians eat meat on Fridays? Why do some Christians “bury” the Alleluias?
What makes this book especially useful is its focus on how families can engage with Lent. Wallace provides creative and practical ways to incorporate Lenten observances into daily life, including activities, meals, and devotionals tailored for children. Accessible yet comprehensive, The Liturgical Home: Lent is an essential guide for anyone looking to enrich their understanding and practice at home of this sacred season.
Lenten Bible Studies
For many individuals, groups, and churches, Lent offers a particularly rich opportunity to immerse ourselves in God’s Word. Whether you are looking for a structured study to follow individually, a devotional to share with your family or a resource for group discussion, there are many excellent guides available to deepen your engagement with Scripture during this holy season. Here are some recommendations to help you grow in faith and understanding throughout Lent.
N. T. Wright, From Wilderness to Glory: Lent and Easter for Everyone
From his accessible For Everyone commentaries to the intense Christian Origins and the Question of God series, N.T. Wright has spent decades bringing the world of Jesus and the early Church to life, making their message as fresh and urgent as it was in the first century. In that same spirit, From Wilderness to Glory offers a meditative journey through the life of Jesus, with each week focusing on themes such as Jesus’ friends, enemies, prayers, and crucifixion.
Each daily reading features Wright’s own translation of Scripture, offering a fresh perspective that may surprise and challenge readers, alongside reflections that feel like a blend of personal homily and a conversation over coffee with an ancient historian. As Wright himself notes, in a world that rushes toward quick results, this Lenten devotional invites us to slow down and think deeply about Jesus. Alternatively, Wright’s Lent for Everyone series follows the lectionary more closely, so if you want to drill down in the current Liturgical Year (Year A with Matthew, Year B with Mark, or Year C with Luke) there is that option.
Tim Chester, Our Radiant Redeemer: Lent Devotions on the Transfiguration of Jesus
Most Lenten Bible studies focus on the passion and resurrection of Jesus, making Tim Chester’s Our Radiant Redeemer a refreshing and unique choice for the season. Since Transfiguration Sunday falls on the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday, this devotional serves as a fitting bridge into Lent, inviting readers to marvel at Christ’s glory before journeying toward the cross. Each week explores one of the Gospel accounts of the transfiguration, guiding readers through a structured rhythm of reflection. Daily devotions are paired with a suggested meditation (typically a Bible verse, a quote, or a hymn) to encourage deeper contemplation. Sundays follow a slightly different format, offering space to prayerfully engage with the week’s key Scripture passage. If you’re seeking a fresh and illuminating approach to Lenten study, this devotional provides a compelling and Christ-centered perspective.
Ros Clarke, 40 Women: Unseen Women of the Bible from Eden to Easter
Another unique Lenten Bible study is Ros Clarke’s 40 Women, which dedicates each day of Lent to exploring the life of a different woman from the Bible. Some of these figures are inspiring and uplifting, while others serve as cautionary examples, but together, they highlight the significant role women have played in God’s unfolding story.
40 Women offers fresh insights into Scripture, revealing how these women’s lives shed new light on familiar passages in unexpected ways. At the same time, their shared humanity reminds us of the enduring truths and promises of God’s Word as we prepare to celebrate the ultimate promise of the resurrection at Easter. This is not simply a Bible study for women but rather a valuable opportunity for all believers to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women in the biblical narrative.
Lenten Liturgical Guides and Devotionals
As Anglicans, we draw deeply from the rich liturgical heritage of the Book of Common Prayer to shape our daily worship and devotion. Throughout the season of Lent, the Book of Common Prayer provides special readings, collects, and rituals that guide us in repentance, reflection, and preparation for Easter. But if you are looking for additional resources to complement your Lenten journey, whether for personal devotion, family worship, or small group study, there are many excellent liturgical guides and devotionals available. Here are some recommendations to enrich your observance of Lent.
Jonathan Gibson, O Sacred Head, Now Wounded: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Pascha to Pentecost
If you’re looking for a resource that, like the Book of Common Prayer, brings structure and depth to daily worship while following the rhythms of the liturgical year, O Sacred Head, Now Wounded is an invaluable companion. Jonathan Gibson of the International Presbyterian Church continues his excellent work in making the rich rhythms of the ancient liturgical calendar accessible to individuals, families, and churches in a way that resonates with the modern world.
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded offers 48 daily liturgies, beginning on Ash Wednesday, guiding individuals, families, and churches through a deeply structured time of worship, reflection, and Scripture reading focused on Christ’s passion and resurrection. Drawing from church history, Gibson integrates prayers, creeds, hymns, and theological writings (all of which are helpfully cataloged in an appendix). Both the Westminster Bookstore exclusive leather edition and Crossway’s cloth-over-board edition are stunning, making them not only excellent devotional resources but also handsome additions to display (it is also available in audiobook).
A Time to Turn: Anglican Readings for Lent and Easter Week
Finding a truly Anglican Lenten devotional can be challenging; most are either Roman Catholic or broadly liturgical. A Time to Turn is a rare gem, drawing from Anglican voices across the centuries. With daily readings from writers like Christina Rossetti, John Donne, Phillips Brooks, John Keble, Thomas Traherne, and even Harriet Beecher Stowe, this collection offers sermons, poems, hymns, and reflections all from the Anglican tradition. Each 2-day page reading includes a short meditation and is organized in a weekly rhythm to keep you grounded throughout the season: Sundays focus on God’s love, Mondays on discipline, Tuesdays on fasting, Wednesdays on prayer, Thursdays on sin, Fridays on the cross, and Saturdays on baptism. It’s a thoughtful and beautifully Anglican way to journey through Lent.
Spend Lent Walking with a Theologian
Lent is also a time to learn from those who have gone before us, exploring how great theologians have reflected on this season and wrestled with the meaning of the gospel in their own lives. Engaging with their writings not only deepens our theological understanding but also reveals how faith has been lived out across history, drawing us more fully into our confession that we are members of the universal Church. While there are many works to choose from (though many are marketed toward Roman Catholics) you could easily create your own Lenten reading plan, as others have done with the Early Church Fathers and John Calvin. Here are some recommendations to consider:
40-Day Journey with Julian of Norwich
Part of Fortress Press’ 40-Day Journey series, this devotional makes an excellent Lenten companion, as Julian’s meditations center on suffering, repentance, and divine grace. A woman of profound spirituality, she is the first known female writer in English, and her reflections on Christ’s love and mercy remain deeply relevant today. Though not directly influencing the English Reformation, Julian was later embraced within Anglican spirituality, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries, as Anglicans rediscovered medieval English mysticism. Each day’s reading includes a passage from her writings, related Scripture, reflection questions, journal prompts, and a prayer, offering a rich and contemplative guide for the Lenten journey.
Martin Luther, Sermons for Lent and Easter
While not a traditional Lenten guide, Martin Luther’s Sermons for Lent and Easter is a great companion for the season. This little volume gives us a glimpse of Luther not just as a reformer and theologian but as a pastor. His sermons explore the deep tensions and challenges of the Christian life, such as law and gospel, sin and grace, freedom and bondage. Each sermon is about ten pages, making it easy to spend a week reading, rereading, and reflecting. If you’re looking for something rich and want to see why Luther was as powerful in the pulpit as he was in the study, this is a great way to journey through Lent toward Easter.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is on the Cross: Reflections on Lent and Easter
Whether you’ve read multiple Bonhoeffer biographies like Eric Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy or Charles Marsh’s Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer or were introduced to him through Bonhoeffer (2024), Lent is the perfect time to engage with his thought more deeply. God Is on the Cross gathers his reflections on self-denial, temptation, suffering, and the meaning of the cross, offering a profound yet accessible guide for the season. Each daily devotion is brief, typically just a small page or two, but profoundly moving, making it an ideal companion for those seeking both theological depth and spiritual reflection during Lent.
Lent: A Rookie Anglican Guide
What is Lent? Beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting for 40 days, Lent is a season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter. The Church year revolves around two “cycles,” one for Christmas and one for Easter. The Christmas cycle begins with a season of preparation: Advent. The Easter cycle begins with a season…
Ash Wednesday: A Rookie Anglican Guide
Ash Wednesday initiates Lent, a period of reflection, repentance, and preparation for Easter, rooted in Jesus’ wilderness experience. Observers receive ashes as a symbol of mortality and repentance. The day emphasizes communal acknowledgment of sin and the need for God’s grace, encouraging participation through services and fasting to deepen spiritual awareness.
