Book Recommendations / Resources

crotalus667

kelly1 wrote: »

I just read Alister's criticism of the God Delusion

Have you read the God Delusion ???

prinz

Last week I read 'Through the eyes of Jesus' Volume I by Alan C. Ames.

I know this thread is supposed to be good books, but tbh I found it a very easy and charming read. At the same time I was disappointed in it, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why, it was a bit repetitive, basic, and did not really deliver the kind of food for thought I was hoping it would.

Likewise 'From Gangland to Promised Land' by John Pridemore ( Pridmore?), there was a dark undertone in the book which struck me, that John still has quite a journey to go on in the humility department. Really got the feeling that he had simply transferred the feeling of power and self righteousness he got as a thug onto his new life as a Christian. Perhaps it was just me but I definitely perceived a self satisfied smugness coming through the pages, and a certain relishing or enjoyment the author got from his past.

If anyone else has read these I'd like to hear other opinions.

kelly1

crotalus667 wrote: »

Have you read the God Delusion ???

No, but I have heard a lot of his arguments/debates on Youtube.

crotalus667

kelly1 wrote: »

No, but I have heard a lot of his arguments/debates on Youtube.

Doesn’t count :rolleyes:, your supposed to read the original and form your own opinions before reading anybody else’s rebuttals:P, (I’d recommend the audio version;))

PDN

crotalus667 wrote: »

Doesn’t count :rolleyes:, your supposed to read the original and form your own opinions before reading anybody else’s rebuttals:P, (I’d recommend the audio version;))

Like atheists do with the Bible?

crotalus667

PDN wrote: »

Like atheists do with the Bible?

Well I read it before I read anybody's rebuttal. I don’t know why you think this is atheist , theist thing it is a common sense thing . I cant speak for everyone but as far as I am concerned when reading text’s forming your own opinions freely without the influence of others opinions is a must otherwise you may as well stamp sheep on your forehead

robindch

PDN wrote: »

crotalus667 wrote:

your supposed to read the original and form your own opinions before reading anybody else’s rebuttals

Like atheists do with the Bible?

Interesting! Are you saying that people shouldn't read the bible in the original, or that they shouldn't form their own opinions before reading what other people have written (or both)?

crotalus667

robindch wrote: »

Interesting! Are you saying that people shouldn't read the bible in the original, or that they shouldn't form their own opinions before reading what other people have written (or both)?

You seem to have gotten confused , try rereading the thread we where talking about rebuttals

PDN

robindch wrote: »

Interesting! Are you saying that people shouldn't read the bible in the original, or that they shouldn't form their own opinions before reading what other people have written (or both)?

No, what I'm saying is that numerous atheists post on this board (or on the A&A forum) attacking the Bible when it is obvious that they haven't read the entire Bible. Often they have simply read some half-baked interpretation on a skeptic website that is devoid of any context or understanding of the subject matter.

Therefore it would seem hypocritical to criticise Noel for forming an opinion on the God Delusion based purely on the passages cited in Alister McGrath's excellent critique of Dawkins' work.

FWIW I have read both the Bible and The God Delusion (and indeed McGrath's book), but I see nothing wrong with forming an opinion on a book based on a partial reading. I knew 100 pages into Ulysses that it was a load of crap, but for some reason I kept on going and wasted two more days of my life reading Joyce's turgid literary diarrhoea.

crotalus667

PDN wrote: »

FWIW I have read both the Bible and The God Delusion (and indeed McGrath's book), but I see nothing wrong with forming an opinion on a book based on a partial reading. I knew 100 pages into Ulysses that it was a load of crap, but for some reason I kept on going and wasted two more days of my life reading Joyce's turgid literary diarrhoea.

I totally agree , but that is not the same as reading book B which is a rebuttal to book A with out even attempting to read book A first , in many cases the person that reads book B first has no intention of reading book A at all and is really only looking for validation of their preconceived opinions of book A



An interesting off topic fact for you , in a survey done last year Ulysses came out as the book most people would claim to have read without having actually read it

PDN

crotalus667 wrote: »

An interesting off topic fact for you , in a survey done last year Ulysses came out as the book most people would claim to have read without having actually read it

Oh I'm not suprised. The Emperor has no clothes.

robindch

PDN wrote: »

No, what I'm saying is that numerous atheists post on this board (or on the A&A forum) attacking the Bible when it is obvious that they haven't read the entire Bible. Often they have simply read some half-baked interpretation on a skeptic website that is devoid of any context or understanding of the subject matter.

Thanks for the clarification. Quite a reasonable point of view, too. I've certainly met plenty of christians -- dare I say, the majority -- who've never read any part of the bible in the original either, and acquire or defend interpretations that are not present in the original text and frequently not in the translation either. Such are the perils of revealed knowledge!

PDN wrote: »

Therefore it would seem hypocritical to criticise Noel for forming an opinion on the God Delusion based purely on the passages cited in Alister McGrath's excellent critique of Dawkins' work.

One doesn't need to sink one's foot all the way through a puppy's streetbomb to know it's rotten -- McGrath's embarrassing lack of originality begins on the front cover.

PDN wrote: »

FWIW I have read both the Bible and The God Delusion (and indeed McGrath's book)

If I were you, I'd invoice McGrath for the time you've wasted -- he is criticizing a book that Dawkins did not write, and points of view that Dawkins, or any other sane person, do not hold.

PDN wrote: »

I see nothing wrong with forming an opinion on a book based on a partial reading. I knew 100 pages into Ulysses that it was a load of crap, but for some reason I kept on going and wasted two more days of my life reading Joyce's turgid literary diarrhoea.

Joyce would have benefited from an editor with a large bin as much as McGrath would have.

bullpost

Back on topic

Its been a while since I read it, but this book which documents the life and beliefs of a Christian spiritual healer in modern day Cyprus is fascinating.
It will challenge most peoples view of Christianity and also introduce you to a world of healers and mystics which most of us never get to hear about.

http://www.amazon.com/Magus-Strovolos-Extraordinary-Spiritual-Healer/dp/0140190341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245160916&sr=8-1

PDN

Last week I read The Gospel According to Starbucks by Leonard Sweet. Sweet is an 'emergent' Christian author (that means one who is dabbling in postmodernism). He looks at the success of Starbucks as a tapping into certain desires within the human spirit (as opposed to simply a slick marketing exercise) and explores how the Church should respond to these desires in a way that would be closer, in his view, to the authentic message of Christ.

I found a lot of the book pretty shallow, but there was a pretty good section on how metaphors are much more motivational than straightforward prose. This is why, in Sweet's opinion, the Bible is the best selling book of all time, because it uses metaphor so much and so effectively.

PDN

I'm on holiday so I'm getting to do plenty of reading on the beach and by the pool. This morning I actually looked up at the sky and read "Jesus Loves You" painted in huge letters of cloud in the sky. (Quite serious. Some enterprising young evangelist was up there with a Cessna and a cannister or two of white smoke!)

Anyway, speaking of reading actual books, I've just finished The Forge of Christendom by Tom Holland. Holland is one of my favourite historians - his books read more like racy novels that you can't put down rather than history. I thoroughly enjoyed his last two books Rubicon (about the Roman Republic) and Persian Fire (Xerxes invasion of Greece). This time he traces the development of Christendom in the 10th and 11th Centuries up to the First Crusade and the capture of Jerusalem. Fascinating stuff with lots of bloodshed, politics, religion and other shennanigans. As usual Holland''s books make me very glad to be living in the Twenty First Century and not in the bad old days!

wolfsbane

Recently read Beauty From Ashes - journeys of recovery from the Rwandan genocide by Callum Henderson.

Moving and insightful accounts by survivors who have found inner peace in Christ, and love and fellowship from other Christians, most of whom also suffered horrendous loss in the genocide.

Reminds one of the depths of wickedness the human heart can sink to, and the despair of those on the receiving end. But then also, the power of God to heal the brokenhearted and change even the perpetrator into a new person.

PDN

Just finished Love is an Orientation by Andrew Marin. Marin is trying to promote greater dialogue and understanding between evangelical Christians and the GLBT community. He makes a lot of good points, but when he starts looking at Scripture his exegesis is very weak - as if he's scared that a proper understanding of Scripture will scupper things by offending people.

Tim Robbins

kelly1 wrote: »

No, but I have heard a lot of his arguments/debates on Youtube.

I thought his book was far better than any of his media appearances. He's a fantastic lucid and colourful writer even if you don't agree with him.

Fanny Cradock

OK folks, it's high time we had a resources thread stickied on this forum. Hopefully we can pool our knowledge of any useful Christian related websites, talks, discussions, articles, apologetics, blogs etc. here. I've started the ball rolling with a few of my own personal favourites and divided them into a few rough categories.

If you have any suggestions please leave a link and a little description and I'll later get around to adding it to the list if it's suitable. Over to you!

Tools

• Readability - Excellent application that removes the clutter around what you are reading and enhances the text.

On-line Bibles

• Bible Gateway - One stop shop for a wide range of bible translations

• Blue Letter Bible - Bible search with Hebrew, Greek, etc.

• Online Parallel Bible - Provides a user with the ability to compare biblical texts from a number of translations.

Encyclopedias

• Theopedia - Wiki encyclopaedia

• Association of Religion Data Archive - Data on religion

Talks

• Veritas – A collection of lectures given by large number of speakers to University staff and students throughout the US.

• The Faraday Institute - Scholarly research and publications on science and religion.

• Bethinking - Apologetics website

Individuals

• N.T Wright – An unofficial website dedicated to The Bishop Of Durham, N.T. Wright. Here you'll find various talks and sermons (audio and transcripts) from the Bishop.

• Peter Kreeft – Kreeft is a Catholic philosopher who tackles a number of pertinent issues on this site.

• Greg Boyd - Author of books like The Myth of a Christian Nation and Letter from a Skeptic.

• William Lane Craig - Popular Christian apologist and prodigious author.

• Vinoth Ramachandra - Author and occasional Blogger. A number of talks available at Veritas.org, e.g. People Suffer - Who Cares? A Secular Humanist and Christian Dialogue

• Zoomtard - The best of all possible blogs by an amateur theologian with broken arms.

• Internet Monk - Dispatches from the post-evangelical wilderness

• Don Miller - The blog of the author of Blue Like Jazz

• Ravi Zacharias - Another popular Christian apologist. Loads of talks available at the Veritas Forum, e.g. Top Five Questions from University of Iowa Students.

Forums and On-line Magazines

• Ship Of Fools - On-line magazine and forum for "Christian unrest", apparently.

• Patrol - An independent daily magazine where young writers explore their interactions with art, culture, politics, and religion.

• Plain Truth- Non-denominational Christian magazine

• Christianity Today - US focused magazine.

Media

• Theos - A public theology think tank providing alternative perspectives to secular culture and public opinion. Reports, consultancy, events, and news.

• The Guardian - Not exactly known for it's love of all things Christian, the Guardian's religion section is nevertheless an excellent information resource.

• Times On-line - Similar to The Guardian Online's religious section.

Science

• American Scientific Affiliation - "A fellowship of men and women of science and disciplines that can relate to science who share a common fidelity to the Word of God and a commitment to integrity in the practice of science."

• The Templeton Foundation - Tackles the big questions of life, many of which are related to Christianity.

• The Faraday Institute - Scholarly research and publications on science and religion.

• Christians in Science - An international network of those concerned with the relationship between science and Christian faith.

• Biologos - A source of scholarly thought on contemporary issues in science and faith.

Creationist Sites

• Creation Ministries International

• The Creation Research Society

• The Institute for Creation Research

On-line Shops

• www.scriptureunion.ie or www.scriptureunion.org.uk - Books, news and resources.

• www.icmbooksdirect.co.uk - Christian books at discount prices.

Events Listings

• www.irishchristians.ie - A guide to Christian events throughout Ireland.

Fun Stuff

• Rapture Ready - Find out today's chance of rapture!

• Post Rapture Pet Care - For a small fee these kindly atheists and agnostics will care for your pets post-rapture.

• Jesus is my friend
  

Seaneh

Probably said already but I'm currently reading "The Shack".

Anything that Bear Grylls recommends is worth a go IMHO!

prinz

Seaneh wrote: »

Probably said already but I'm currently reading "The Shack".

Anything that Bear Grylls recommends is worth a go IMHO!

Was quite enjoying reading that book until the Holy Trinity arrived on the scene. . Reminds me I have to finish it. But wasn't overly impressed tbh.

wolfsbane

prinz wrote: »

Was quite enjoying reading that book until the Holy Trinity arrived on the scene. . Reminds me I have to finish it. But wasn't overly impressed tbh.

Yeah, from snippets I've read, it's New Ageism in Evangelical drag. Not the gospel of the Bible.

prinz

wolfsbane wrote: »

Yeah, from snippets I've read, it's New Ageism in Evangelical drag. Not the gospel of the Bible.

That's what I thought,....lots of 'what do you think God wants you to do' etc, 'do what you think is right'. Reminded me a bit of The Secret. Plus the whole politically correct ethnic spread of the Trinity. All started just to get too 'nice'. Still have to finish it but now I'm reminding myself why I wasn't bothered in the first place. Pity really, it started so well.

getz

i am sure this comes under the christian umbrella--the life of charlotte bronte, written by elizebeth gaskell [a ministers wife]who wrote cranford,north and south,and wives and daughters.its about charlot and her sisters ,all daughters of the rev bronte. she was her close friend.

Corksham

C K Chesterton - Heretics

First time reading Chesterton, found it a superb and witty read, an author who's use of big words was pure daycint

MarthaT

Corksham wrote: »

C K Chesterton - Heretics

First time reading Chesterton, found it a superb and witty read, an author who's use of big words was pure daycint

I found this to be a very good read myself

SlickRic

John Burke - No Perfect People Allowed, Creating a Come As You Are Culture.

if you want to read about what church should look like, in terms of dealing with and witnessing to people, look no further than this.

Jesus has revealed things to me through this book that i can't even begin to describe.

BrianCalgary

PDN wrote: »

I like to read books that challenge my existing views and ideas. One such book that I read this week was The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism and Success by Rodney Stark.

Stark is a religious sociologist and one of the foremost experts on cults and sects. In this book, however, he examines why economic & scientific development developed mostly hand-in-hand with Christianity and not elsewhere. He challenges Max Weber's assertion that the Reformation's protestant work ethic transformed the modern world, and instead says that Christianity produced a stream of steady and continuous scientific & economic innovation both before and after the Reformation.

He denies that the Roman Empire was any kind of golden age for culture & learning. Instead he argues that the Roman Empire was built on slavery and extracting wealth from conquered territories, and as such it stifled progress. He argues convincingly that the so-called 'Dark Ages' were actually periods of great development, powered primarily by the Church.

Stark writes in an combative way that will either entertain or infuriate you. Here is a sample of his style, taken from the book's Conclusion:

I just finished reading this book, thanks for the tip PDN.

The one point that really interested me was the idea that the protestant work ethic just doesn't exist. Economic development is not a function of hard work, but a function of economic polices and laws that allow for the development of industry and innovation.

More-so intersting as a month ago I hadan American Evangelist tell me that Roman Catholics are not hard working as witnessed by the economies of countries such as Spain, Portugal and Italy as well as the Latin American countries.

philologos

I've just finished Out of the Saltshaker and Into the World: Evangelism as a Way of Life by Rebecca Manley Pippert. I have to say, it's probably the most relevant book I've read in a long time. It discusses how students and Christian Unions can more effectively relate the Gospel to students. It's hypothesis is basically, as we start to live like Jesus, evangelism comes as a natural occurrence.

chozometroid

SlickRic wrote: »

John Burke - No Perfect People Allowed, Creating a Come As You Are Culture.

if you want to read about what church should look like, in terms of dealing with and witnessing to people, look no further than this.

Jesus has revealed things to me through this book that i can't even begin to describe.

Thanks....sounds good. I'll probably check it out sometime.


I just finished The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul. It's a great book for putting things in perspective concerning the nature of God, the nature and seriousness of our sin, how God should be reverenced, and what makes God holy and worthy of our worship.