Many Reformed-ish Christian bloggers are eagerly repeating the summer reading list recommended by Al Mohler.

The current president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Mohler suggests readers chew (rim shot) with him on titles such as:

• The Last of the Doughboys
• Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, A Revolution
• The Guns At Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945
• Gettysburg: The Last Invasion
• Geronimo

And that last title, which is also the Eleventh Doctor’s catchphrase, is — so far — as close as the list gets to one missing genre — a genre vital to well-rounded growth and God-glorification. Can you guess what that genre is?

As I noted elsewhere, it’s like saying, “Here’s my favorite playlist,” and not having a bit of music on there.

The Baptist leader does promise:

I hope to recommend other good books along the way through the season, including some recent works in biography and fiction.

Time will tell, though, whether this fiction includes popular-level yet in-depth secular reading (something like The Hunger Games) or Christian fiction that is worth readers’ attentions. So far similar Reformed-ish leaders and bloggers, when they rarely touch on fiction, opt for popularly perceived Fine Literature™ only, from a select cadre of authors and genres (such as Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead).

Regardless, let’s hope his fans and like-minded Christians will be reminding themselves: Don’t waste your fiction.