Looking for help and resources

Uh, in my opinion you're starting off on the wrong foot, my friend. Not that study tools aren't helpful, but Jesus said if anyone does His will then they'll know if His doctrine is from God or not.

So my advice is to first spend time walking thru the gospels and prayerfully obey each thing you come across Christ telling us to do. Cultivate faithfulness this way instead of looking to see what man has to say on a subject. Because a lot of times they're going to be wrong.

COUNTERHUMOR said:

Salutations! I'm twentysomething. I don't have a name.


I'm newish to theology, and find myself drowning in this information era. Is there a "baby's guide to theology"? I have read the Bible and other books, but I have no experience in the sport of theology. Is there a quick-start guide that can tell me the essentials of everything I need to know to get started? Hyperdispensationalism, ecclisiology, docetism, these are all concepts that I have never heard about until now, and there's pages and pages. Besides a glossary, I feel that I'll need an overview on essential topics. Learning goals and more about me below.

Spoiler: general learning goals

• Differences in denominations
• History of doctrine
• Cultural/historical context
• Popular disagreements in Christianity, such as infant baptism, and Calvanism vs. Arminianism
• Modern discussions
• Understanding of other worldly religions, faiths, cults
• A surface understanding of the Bible (overview of all that happened, the people and places involved)
• A deeper understanding of the Bible, interpretation
• Understanding of the basics of Greek, Hebrew, and some important words and translational controversies
• What else I'll need to know on the intellectual battlegrounds
• Some nice apologetic thoughts

Spoiler: faith history

I had a grandmother against religion, and apathetic parents. I was an edgy atheist that would poke fun at Christians with my friends, it was larious. I was a liberal in high school (naturally), but I started to turn towards Christ in the time of gay marriage being legalized under Obama. I saw people of my political affiliation being arrogant, and saying the most disrespectful, insulting of things in the poorest of taste, aimed at the zealous faithful that would commit self-immolation. My take was that if anyone deserved respect, it's someone that sets themself on fire. I also noticed how highly principled and respectable Christians are, which I could not claim for my own liberals at the time.


So, I plugged in, attended college youth groups, and prayed for several years. Like everyone my age, I am cracked out on electronics, making it impossible to read. Like literally everyone else, early on I tried reading the Bible and only got through Genesis. Nothing happened, no miraculous acts, it was just one day to the next that I felt confident enough that I was a Christian, and that the words in the Bible actually happened. The biggest factor I attribute to finding Christ was actually reading the Bible, specifically the Gospels; even though I didn't have the attention to read the whole thing, I would (very occasionally) read Luke and the other Gospels. The more I read, the stronger I was in my convictions to entirely commit to changing my identity from an atheist to something new.


It's been a year and a half since, and a lot has changed. I have been put through painful trials of faith, I have brought others to faith (or, at least, closer), and I moved out for the first time (to Space, probably). I was able to beat my addiction to electronics and focus on reading. It's been mostly business/self-improvement books, and only recently that I have explored theological books.

Spoiler: brief other details about me

I'm an animator trying to make a movie, and I'm into experimentalism in the arts. I used to be a film buff, now my hobby is focused on music discovery.


Favorite director: Gaspar Noe

Favorite band: Animal Collective

Favorite album: waste yrself

Here's what I have under my belt so far:

• The Holy Bible (English Standard Version)
• Mere Christianity
• The Case For Christ
• The Case For the Real Jesus
• Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus

Well, help me, please. Thx

Click to expand...

Your profile says that you're a Baptist.
Did you say that you were Born-Again, and have been baptized since?
If so, take their "New Believers" class.

If they don't have one, see about one at

• Vineyard,
• Assembly of God,
• Foursquare Church

At this point, you need direction more than you need more knowledge (to mis-handle).

Make sure you use a Bible with cross references (its own intranet).

COUNTERHUMOR said:

Salutations! I'm twentysomething. I don't have a name.


I'm newish to theology, and find myself drowning in this information era. Is there a "baby's guide to theology"? I have read the Bible and other books, but I have no experience in the sport of theology. Is there a quick-start guide that can tell me the essentials of everything I need to know to get started? Hyperdispensationalism, ecclisiology, docetism, these are all concepts that I have never heard about until now, and there's pages and pages. Besides a glossary, I feel that I'll need an overview on essential topics. Learning goals and more about me below.

Spoiler: general learning goals

• Differences in denominations
• History of doctrine
• Cultural/historical context
• Popular disagreements in Christianity, such as infant baptism, and Calvanism vs. Arminianism
• Modern discussions
• Understanding of other worldly religions, faiths, cults
• A surface understanding of the Bible (overview of all that happened, the people and places involved)
• A deeper understanding of the Bible, interpretation
• Understanding of the basics of Greek, Hebrew, and some important words and translational controversies
• What else I'll need to know on the intellectual battlegrounds
• Some nice apologetic thoughts

Spoiler: faith history

I had a grandmother against religion, and apathetic parents. I was an edgy atheist that would poke fun at Christians with my friends, it was larious. I was a liberal in high school (naturally), but I started to turn towards Christ in the time of gay marriage being legalized under Obama. I saw people of my political affiliation being arrogant, and saying the most disrespectful, insulting of things in the poorest of taste, aimed at the zealous faithful that would commit self-immolation. My take was that if anyone deserved respect, it's someone that sets themself on fire. I also noticed how highly principled and respectable Christians are, which I could not claim for my own liberals at the time.


So, I plugged in, attended college youth groups, and prayed for several years. Like everyone my age, I am cracked out on electronics, making it impossible to read. Like literally everyone else, early on I tried reading the Bible and only got through Genesis. Nothing happened, no miraculous acts, it was just one day to the next that I felt confident enough that I was a Christian, and that the words in the Bible actually happened. The biggest factor I attribute to finding Christ was actually reading the Bible, specifically the Gospels; even though I didn't have the attention to read the whole thing, I would (very occasionally) read Luke and the other Gospels. The more I read, the stronger I was in my convictions to entirely commit to changing my identity from an atheist to something new.


It's been a year and a half since, and a lot has changed. I have been put through painful trials of faith, I have brought others to faith (or, at least, closer), and I moved out for the first time (to Space, probably). I was able to beat my addiction to electronics and focus on reading. It's been mostly business/self-improvement books, and only recently that I have explored theological books.

Spoiler: brief other details about me

I'm an animator trying to make a movie, and I'm into experimentalism in the arts. I used to be a film buff, now my hobby is focused on music discovery.


Favorite director: Gaspar Noe

Favorite band: Animal Collective

Favorite album: waste yrself

Here's what I have under my belt so far:

• The Holy Bible (English Standard Version)
• Mere Christianity
• The Case For Christ
• The Case For the Real Jesus
• Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus

Well, help me, please. Thx

Click to expand...

I read Josephus, Eusebius and Joachim Jeremias after reading the Bible awhile. Later I studied ancient Near Eastern history and Biblical archaeology as I lived near some big city libraries before the Internet. Someone in CF posted a link to a revival video. That lead me to watching videos of the Azusa Street Revival. Healing miracles happened at Azusa Street. I also watched videos about the Hebrides Revival. I remember after a series of revival meetings the town drunks got sober and a bar or two closed and remained closed for decades.

Dr Peter Kreefts book on St Thomas Aquinas:

https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Theology-Spiritual-Direction-Aquinas/dp/1586179683

And St Augustine’s Confessions:
https://faculty.georgetown.edu/jod/augustine/conf.pdf

COUNTERHUMOR said:

Salutations! I'm twentysomething. I don't have a name.


I'm newish to theology, and find myself drowning in this information era. Is there a "baby's guide to theology"? I have read the Bible and other books, but I have no experience in the sport of theology. Is there a quick-start guide that can tell me the essentials of everything I need to know to get started? Hyperdispensationalism, ecclisiology, docetism, these are all concepts that I have never heard about until now, and there's pages and pages. Besides a glossary, I feel that I'll need an overview on essential topics. Learning goals and more about me below.

Spoiler: general learning goals

• Differences in denominations
• History of doctrine
• Cultural/historical context
• Popular disagreements in Christianity, such as infant baptism, and Calvanism vs. Arminianism
• Modern discussions
• Understanding of other worldly religions, faiths, cults
• A surface understanding of the Bible (overview of all that happened, the people and places involved)
• A deeper understanding of the Bible, interpretation
• Understanding of the basics of Greek, Hebrew, and some important words and translational controversies
• What else I'll need to know on the intellectual battlegrounds
• Some nice apologetic thoughts

Spoiler: faith history

I had a grandmother against religion, and apathetic parents. I was an edgy atheist that would poke fun at Christians with my friends, it was larious. I was a liberal in high school (naturally), but I started to turn towards Christ in the time of gay marriage being legalized under Obama. I saw people of my political affiliation being arrogant, and saying the most disrespectful, insulting of things in the poorest of taste, aimed at the zealous faithful that would commit self-immolation. My take was that if anyone deserved respect, it's someone that sets themself on fire. I also noticed how highly principled and respectable Christians are, which I could not claim for my own liberals at the time.


So, I plugged in, attended college youth groups, and prayed for several years. Like everyone my age, I am cracked out on electronics, making it impossible to read. Like literally everyone else, early on I tried reading the Bible and only got through Genesis. Nothing happened, no miraculous acts, it was just one day to the next that I felt confident enough that I was a Christian, and that the words in the Bible actually happened. The biggest factor I attribute to finding Christ was actually reading the Bible, specifically the Gospels; even though I didn't have the attention to read the whole thing, I would (very occasionally) read Luke and the other Gospels. The more I read, the stronger I was in my convictions to entirely commit to changing my identity from an atheist to something new.


It's been a year and a half since, and a lot has changed. I have been put through painful trials of faith, I have brought others to faith (or, at least, closer), and I moved out for the first time (to Space, probably). I was able to beat my addiction to electronics and focus on reading. It's been mostly business/self-improvement books, and only recently that I have explored theological books.

Spoiler: brief other details about me

I'm an animator trying to make a movie, and I'm into experimentalism in the arts. I used to be a film buff, now my hobby is focused on music discovery.


Favorite director: Gaspar Noe

Favorite band: Animal Collective

Favorite album: waste yrself

Here's what I have under my belt so far:

• The Holy Bible (English Standard Version)
• Mere Christianity
• The Case For Christ
• The Case For the Real Jesus
• Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus

Well, help me, please. Thx

Click to expand...

COUNTERHUMOR said:

Salutations! I'm twentysomething. I don't have a name.


I'm newish to theology, and find myself drowning in this information era. Is there a "baby's guide to theology"? I have read the Bible and other books, but I have no experience in the sport of theology. Is there a quick-start guide that can tell me the essentials of everything I need to know to get started? Hyperdispensationalism, ecclisiology, docetism, these are all concepts that I have never heard about until now, and there's pages and pages. Besides a glossary, I feel that I'll need an overview on essential topics. Learning goals and more about me below.

Spoiler: general learning goals

• Differences in denominations
• History of doctrine
• Cultural/historical context
• Popular disagreements in Christianity, such as infant baptism, and Calvanism vs. Arminianism
• Modern discussions
• Understanding of other worldly religions, faiths, cults
• A surface understanding of the Bible (overview of all that happened, the people and places involved)
• A deeper understanding of the Bible, interpretation
• Understanding of the basics of Greek, Hebrew, and some important words and translational controversies
• What else I'll need to know on the intellectual battlegrounds
• Some nice apologetic thoughts

Spoiler: faith history

I had a grandmother against religion, and apathetic parents. I was an edgy atheist that would poke fun at Christians with my friends, it was larious. I was a liberal in high school (naturally), but I started to turn towards Christ in the time of gay marriage being legalized under Obama. I saw people of my political affiliation being arrogant, and saying the most disrespectful, insulting of things in the poorest of taste, aimed at the zealous faithful that would commit self-immolation. My take was that if anyone deserved respect, it's someone that sets themself on fire. I also noticed how highly principled and respectable Christians are, which I could not claim for my own liberals at the time.


So, I plugged in, attended college youth groups, and prayed for several years. Like everyone my age, I am cracked out on electronics, making it impossible to read. Like literally everyone else, early on I tried reading the Bible and only got through Genesis. Nothing happened, no miraculous acts, it was just one day to the next that I felt confident enough that I was a Christian, and that the words in the Bible actually happened. The biggest factor I attribute to finding Christ was actually reading the Bible, specifically the Gospels; even though I didn't have the attention to read the whole thing, I would (very occasionally) read Luke and the other Gospels. The more I read, the stronger I was in my convictions to entirely commit to changing my identity from an atheist to something new.


It's been a year and a half since, and a lot has changed. I have been put through painful trials of faith, I have brought others to faith (or, at least, closer), and I moved out for the first time (to Space, probably). I was able to beat my addiction to electronics and focus on reading. It's been mostly business/self-improvement books, and only recently that I have explored theological books.

Spoiler: brief other details about me

I'm an animator trying to make a movie, and I'm into experimentalism in the arts. I used to be a film buff, now my hobby is focused on music discovery.


Favorite director: Gaspar Noe

Favorite band: Animal Collective

Favorite album: waste yrself

Here's what I have under my belt so far:

• The Holy Bible (English Standard Version)
• Mere Christianity
• The Case For Christ
• The Case For the Real Jesus
• Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus

Well, help me, please. Thx

Click to expand...

If your goals are just to learn for the sake of learning, I'd suggest that they will do your Christian walk more harm than good. If you want to grow in Christ, I'd recommend "The Normal Christian Life" by Watchman Nee.

Hello and welcome to CF.

Seeking to understand is good, and admirable. Expecting it to be something that happens quickly - is unreasonable.

It’s probably better to choose a place to start. There’s nothing wrong with getting a surface understanding of whatever you are seeking to understand, then (maybe after moving to other topics) later coming back and getting more depth. That’s usually how God leads us through what we learn.

Everyone will likely speak from their own perspective. After all, they wouldn’t be where they are if they didn’t believe in the truth/rightness of it. I’ve been through a number of denominations in my life, over a period of about 50 years of seeking, as I learned new things.

Different things appeal to different people. But I will say that an intellectual or historical approach is very likely to lead you to an apostolic Church.

An extremely basic overview would look something like - at first there was THE Church - no denomination. Heresies arose, but the Church would prayerfully consider what had been received by the Apostles (the Twelve) and the Holy Spirit, and heresies rejected. The rest of the Church remained Christianity.

At Chalcedon there was the first major split, but the differences (compared to differences in denominations today) were VERY minor. Those that rejected Chalcedon are the Oriental Orthodox today. They remain very very close to the Eastern Orthodox, which were the other sees of early Christianity - except Rome. The others (now referred to as Eastern Orthodox) and Rome (which gave rise to Catholicism) gradually drifted apart. Mostly over the ideas in Rome that (1) they had authority over the other sees (eventually giving rise to the papacy), and (2) the idea that doctrine could change (or “develop” over time) and it was not necessary to hold exactly to the initial faith received and practiced as handed down by the Apostles. The official date of separation is usually acknowledged as 1054, though the 500s began to see issues growing.

One good evidence of what I’ve explained is the near-uniformity of Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox, despite the fact that this division was actually the earliest in history. Normally you would expect earlier division to diverge more, but the early Church was most dedicated to keeping the faith unchanged, so these two remain nearly identical in most ways.

Fast forward to focus on Catholicism, and they have changed over the past thousand years or so in various ways, and sometimes changing back. The Protestant Reformation was a reaction to various issues within Catholicism - mainly Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli who had different focuses and have had different effects on various areas of Protestantism. Protestantism is multi-branched, sometimes changing more, sometimes reverting back to earlier beliefs, diverging, converging. It is very complex but there are certain “families” that could be studied in overview.

One resource I have found helpful and comprehensive regarding denominations is Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick’s Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy, available as book or podcast. My only caveat is that he can be a little polemical. But he thoroughly explains differences between all major and essentially all minor Christian denominations, and an extensive comparison of non-Christian religions as well.

Here’s the link to that podcast. Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy | Ancient Faith Ministries

There are 34 episodes broken into segments so you can easily find the parts that might interest you. But that will cover comparative religion, denominations, and practical discussion of heresies and how they factor in.

I very much appreciate study of the Greek too, and understanding how we got our canon. My parish is Greek and even though the language has changed over the centuries, there are a LOT of insights to be gained and knowledge of translation issues by delving into that.

The writings of the early Church Fathers are good but not so much as an introduction/overview. It’s better to know what to filter out (from Origen and Turtullian for example) and much of it is difficult reading. A lot is available free online at ccel.org along with more recent writings.

The best start among them is the Didache (Teaching of the Twelve) which is short and easy to read, along with the Shepherd of Hermas and letters from Clement, Ignatius, and Polycarp. Some of these were very nearly included in Holy Scripture. I would avoid the rejected apocryphal writings that were forgeries falsely attributed to Apostles and others.

The congregational forums on CF can be a good place to ask if you have specific questions about particular teachings of any group. It’s always best to ask them directly, rather than rely on what someone else says about them.

COUNTERHUMOR said:

Salutations! I'm twentysomething. I don't have a name.


I'm newish to theology, and find myself drowning in this information era. Is there a "baby's guide to theology"? I have read the Bible and other books, but I have no experience in the sport of theology. Is there a quick-start guide that can tell me the essentials of everything I need to know to get started? Hyperdispensationalism, ecclisiology, docetism, these are all concepts that I have never heard about until now, and there's pages and pages. Besides a glossary, I feel that I'll need an overview on essential topics. Learning goals and more about me below.

Spoiler: general learning goals

• Differences in denominations
• History of doctrine
• Cultural/historical context
• Popular disagreements in Christianity, such as infant baptism, and Calvanism vs. Arminianism
• Modern discussions
• Understanding of other worldly religions, faiths, cults
• A surface understanding of the Bible (overview of all that happened, the people and places involved)
• A deeper understanding of the Bible, interpretation
• Understanding of the basics of Greek, Hebrew, and some important words and translational controversies
• What else I'll need to know on the intellectual battlegrounds
• Some nice apologetic thoughts

Spoiler: faith history

I had a grandmother against religion, and apathetic parents. I was an edgy atheist that would poke fun at Christians with my friends, it was larious. I was a liberal in high school (naturally), but I started to turn towards Christ in the time of gay marriage being legalized under Obama. I saw people of my political affiliation being arrogant, and saying the most disrespectful, insulting of things in the poorest of taste, aimed at the zealous faithful that would commit self-immolation. My take was that if anyone deserved respect, it's someone that sets themself on fire. I also noticed how highly principled and respectable Christians are, which I could not claim for my own liberals at the time.


So, I plugged in, attended college youth groups, and prayed for several years. Like everyone my age, I am cracked out on electronics, making it impossible to read. Like literally everyone else, early on I tried reading the Bible and only got through Genesis. Nothing happened, no miraculous acts, it was just one day to the next that I felt confident enough that I was a Christian, and that the words in the Bible actually happened. The biggest factor I attribute to finding Christ was actually reading the Bible, specifically the Gospels; even though I didn't have the attention to read the whole thing, I would (very occasionally) read Luke and the other Gospels. The more I read, the stronger I was in my convictions to entirely commit to changing my identity from an atheist to something new.


It's been a year and a half since, and a lot has changed. I have been put through painful trials of faith, I have brought others to faith (or, at least, closer), and I moved out for the first time (to Space, probably). I was able to beat my addiction to electronics and focus on reading. It's been mostly business/self-improvement books, and only recently that I have explored theological books.

Spoiler: brief other details about me

I'm an animator trying to make a movie, and I'm into experimentalism in the arts. I used to be a film buff, now my hobby is focused on music discovery.


Favorite director: Gaspar Noe

Favorite band: Animal Collective

Favorite album: waste yrself

Here's what I have under my belt so far:

• The Holy Bible (English Standard Version)
• Mere Christianity
• The Case For Christ
• The Case For the Real Jesus
• Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus

Well, help me, please. Thx

Click to expand...

Welcome and have a wonderful day

COUNTERHUMOR said:

I'm newish to theology, and find myself drowning in this information era. Is there a "baby's guide to theology"?

Click to expand...

The free lessons here Come and See - Topics could be of significant help to you. Ariel Ministries is run by a Messianic Jew (Jew who has accepted Jesus as Messiah) named Arnold Fruchtenbaum, and he does detailed and systematic teaching of both the Old and New Testaments.

Hello COUNTERHUMOR,
welcome to CF.

I hope you'll enjoy your stay here. Go to my homepage listed in my profile and get a free copy of my first published Christian book. My second published book will be there soon.

Welcome!

Christian Advice