These books for Christian herbalists provide herbal knowledge, information, and reference without the pagan and ungodly influences many herbal learning materials contain.
Books for Christian Herbalists
I don’t know about you, but I hate it when I pick up an alternative health or herbalism book and it’s filled with references to goddess worship, earth spirit worship, and all that nonsense. I don’t mean to poke fun at people who truly believe in these things, but as a Christian, I cannot rely on that information and I do not want it in my house.
Sure, I could read the book and ignore the exhortations to “ask the plant spirit’s permission to pick it” or whatever is being recommended. Or, I could find books that include scientific knowledge on the plant kingdom, its healing benefits, and other health benefits of fruits, vegetables, herbs and alternative resources that do not go against my Christian faith.
An Herbal Reference Library – For Christian Herbalists
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive on our Facebook group page, Christian Herbalists at Home Garden Joy, is, “Can anyone recommend good herbal resource books for Christians?” This list should help you winnow out the books filled with paganism and include only wholesome, neutral or Christian herbalist resources in your home library.
Please note: I am an Amazon affiliate, and these links take you to Amazon to buy the books. If you do purchase anything via the link, I make a small commission on the sale, which does not affect your price.
Suggest a book! If you an herbal resource or reference book you LOVE that’s appropriate for Christian herbalists, drop me a comment! I’d love to add more books!
Christian Herbalist’s Book List and Reference Library
- Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss
Jethro Kloss was an American herbalist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He wrote many books on healthy living, herbalism, and healthy diets. Some of the information he recommends is no longer supported by scientific evidence, but he does provide plenty of information for those new to plant-based living. He is also devoutly Christian, and his faith shines through this and other books. Recommended.
2. The Herbalist’s Way by Nancy Phillips and Michael Phillilps
I love this book! This was one of my first herbal reference books and it inspired me to try my hand at making tinctures and hand salves, growing more of my own herbs, and learning more about the wider world of herbalism. It’s a jam-packed reference guide that gets better with re-reading.
3. Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson
I treated myself to this book last Christmas, and I’m glad I did. Brittany’s approach to herbalism is the old-fashioned “wise woman” approach which treats herbs as a delicious food source to add to meals. The healing benefits just add an extra bonus! Brittany divides the herbs into cooling, warming, etc., and then provides many recipes with color photos to use herbs in your daily diet. I turn to this book when I have an abundance of herbs from the garden and need inspiration to use them.
4. The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook by James A. Duke, Ph.D.
Another indispensable reference book for the Christian herbalist. Dr. Duke is a botanist (plant scientist) who carefully notes many facts about the herbs recommended for health benefits. There’s no “magic” or magical thinking here: it’s scientific information about the plants we choose for health and healing.
5. The Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee De La Foret
Don’t let the title of this book fool you – she’s not into magic, other than the magic that happens when we incorporate healing herbs into our lives. I’ve taken distance learning classes with Rosalee and she’s an expert in herbalism and the use of herbs as well as a great teacher. This book is no exception and provides a comprehensive guide to many herbs and herbal remedies.
6. The Herbal Tea Garden: Planning, Planting, Harvesting & Brewing by Marietta Marshall Marcin
One of the first books about herbalism that I purchased was this lovely book from Marietta Marshall Marcin. She includes chapters on gardening, brewing tea, and an alphabetical herbal reference. I used this book to help my breathing issues in the winter when mild asthma made me uncomfortable; I’ve used it since to brew teas and create herbal tea blends for family and friends. Easy to understand and just a fine little herbal book.
Other Christian Herbalist Resources: Online Learning
Learning Herbs is an online learning platform that includes herbal monographs (overviews and scientific papers about herbs) and pre-recorded classes. They charge a monthly subscription fee which is billed to your credit card. I subscribed for about a year and felt they had excellent classes mostly without the “woo woo” nonsense so many herbalists spout, but you need to pick and choose your classes. I took herbal tea classes with Rosalee De La Foret, Peter King’s wonderful wild foraging class and several others and felt I got a lot out of it. Check it out with the link, above.
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