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What are you reading?

peacedreamer said:
I just finished The Abstinence Teacher. It was pretty awful, but it shows what happens when people pretend to get saved to suit some need they have. One of the main characters is introduced as a born-again Christian, but his actions well up out of a black brackish heart, not a pure heart and the Holy Spirit. The other main character is just as bad, but she doesn't pretend to be a Christian. In the end, the "Christian" character shows his true stripes and abandons the faith to pursue an adulterous affair and return to his addictions. Sad, yet realistic for some people.
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I read that book The Abstinence Teacher...I enjoyed it. I thought it took an honest look at Christians who arent all they seem to be. There are alot of Christians out there like that unfortunately. But in saying that, i think thats how alot of non-Christians perceive the Church as a whole :shrug .

At the moment I am reading "Faith" by Smith Wigglesworth. It is very good so far, but as people who have read his books will know, he wasnt a natural with words. Everything he says is very simple and sometimes a little hard to get into. But then again, its the simplicity in his faith that makes his books so inspirational.
 
"All of Grace" by Charles Spurgeon, bought it about 3 years ago, forgot about it and just found it. It's an easy read, pretty basic Christianity, but a fantastic preacher and writer.

"The World According to Garp" by John Irving.
 
I just got done with "The Book. A History of the Bible" by Christopher De Hamel.

Good information in this book! Quite a few typographical errors, but it's pretty in depth and a list of sources for EACH chapter at the end covers more than a half a page...for each chapter! It is evident a LOT of work went into this book. I would suggest this for every christian...or anybody with questions about the Bible's history or translation discussions.

I'm also reading "The Good Life" by Charles Colson ---good stuff

I just recently purchased "I don't have enough faith to be an Athiest" --I have high hopes for it.
 
John said:
Man vs Wild by Bear Grylls

and

In the Beginning my Walt Brown.
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If you like survivor stuff, check out "Survivorman" on Discovery. I prefer him over bear because this guy does all his own camera work (which may mean hiking down a canyon to get the shot, then having to hike back up to get his camera), is really all alone, and a little less dramatic.

Its a great show if you have never caught it.
 
^^ My wife doesn't care for the show but I enjoy it now and then. You can learn some absolutely essential skills watching those types of shows.

I'm still reading Beyond Opinion, just to be on topic. :shades
 
I'm reading The Book of Dead Philosophers by Simon Critchley. It does include Christian philosophers as well as the lives and deaths of a few of the apostles.

Describing the difference between philosophy and sophistry:

"Televangelists offer authoritative knowledge of the true word of God and perform miraculous cures in exchange for appropriate donations to the cause. An entire New Age industry has arisen where Knowledge (capital K) of something called Self (capital S) is traded in expensive, brightly covered wrappings. I am writing these lines on West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, not far form the palatial "Self-Realization Center," complete with lavish gardens, a lake shrine, Hindu kitsch architecture and expensive programmes for improving spiritual self-knowledge and communion with God...
[A] gap is being filled by various forms of obscurantism that conspire to promote the belief that, first, such a thing as self-knowledge is attainable; second, it comes with a price tag; and third, it is completely consistant with the pursuit of wealth, pleasure and personal salvation."

:thumb :thumb

I've got The Search for the Twelve Apostles, too. It's next.
 
Desiring God by John Piper
The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright
 
I am just about finished with "Understanding Dispensationalists" by Vern Poythress. It is a very generous polemical book. You have to give Poythress high marks for his restraint.

I agree with Poythress that Covenant Theologians are using the "Historical Grammatical" hermeneutic. There are Covenant Theologians who claim to accept non-literal hermeneutics. I think this is a mistake. I think Poythress is on the right track in claiming "Historical Grammatical" hermeneutics.

I dont think Poythress hit the nail on the head with his main argument. I remain unconvinced that Dispesnationalists and Covenant Theologians are using different hermeneutics. It appears to me that the issue Poythress is actually getting at is an exegetical issue, and not a hermeneutic issue. He is talking about context. He accuses Dispensationalists of using "flat interpretation" when they use the term "literal." Then Poythress demonstrates what he means from Isaiah. The illustration relates to context and exegesis and not hermeneutics.

If anyone wants to work in the field of Dispensationalism vs Covenant Theology, Poythress has to be seen as a benchmark of restraint and understanding. The early part of the book does an excellent job of noting both development and variety within Dispensationalism. Poythress separates Dispensationalists into 4 basic camps, and then notes that some are closer to Covenant Theology. He notes the drift of Dispensationalism toward Covenant Theology. He also notes the drift of Covenant Theology toward Dispensationalism. I think the book promotes understanding.

Mondar
 
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