Thinking Outside of the Box?

StAnselm · Aug 22, 2004

I noticed this thread has mostly concentrated on whether various writers are 'reformed' or not. Does it matter? I mean, surely it's good for us to read broadly. Cajun Hugonot, I loved your list. It's good to read old books.

C. S. Lewis:

A new book is still on its trial and the amateur is not in a position to judge it. It has to be tested against the great body of Christian thought down the ages, and all its hidden implications (often unsuspected by the author himself) have to be brought to light. Often it cannot be fully understood without the knowledge of a good many other modern books. If you join at eleven o'clock a conversation which began at eight you will often not see the real bearing of what is said. Remarks which seem to you very ordinary will produce laughter or irritation and you will not see whythe reason, of course, being that the earlier stages of the conversation have given them a special point...

Anyway, back to the OP:

Jesaiah said:
Who are some of the lesser known reformed authors that you enjoy reading or non-reformed authors who you enjoy reading? And by this I mean theological/bibilical themed works.

I don't know if anyone else notices this but in all circles (Reformed, Lutheran, Baptist, etc) we all have a certain group of authors that we always depend on (which of course is good to have solid foundations) but it seems we never entertain the thoughts of other brothers/sisters in Christ and their perspective.

I don't think there's really such a common body of authors on whom all Reformed people depend - I don't seem to read the same books as other people.

Anyway, to answer the question, for non-reformed authors, I love G. K. Chesterton, and can highly recommend his Orthodoxy in particular.

As for lesser-known reformed authors, does anyone here read James Jordan? I've gotten so much from him, even if I don't agree with everything he come up with...

Cajun Huguenot · Aug 22, 2004

StAnselm,
Have you read C.S. Lewis' introduction to On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius? It is a pure gold. If you haven't, you can find it here: http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/history/ath-inc.htm

Enjoy,
Kenith

StAnselm · Aug 22, 2004

Umm, yes. That's where the quote came from. But thanks anyway - it is pure gold.

Cajun Huguenot · Aug 23, 2004

StAnselm said:
Umm, yes. That's where the quote came from. But thanks anyway - it is pure gold.

Opps! My bad.

Kenith

BronxBriar · Aug 23, 2004

The one non-reformed writer I always go back to is the Roman Catholic monk Thomas Merton. His works on interior prayer and solitude I find very nourishing.

On the other hand I can't stand C.S. Lewis who I consider a lightweight armchair theologian.

It's the historical Puritans, especially Jeremiah Burroughs and Richard Baxter, who keep me focused.

Irishcat922 · Aug 23, 2004

BronxBriar said:
The one non-reformed writer I always go back to is the Roman Catholic monk Thomas Merton. His works on interior prayer and solitude I find very nourishing.

On the other hand I can't stand C.S. Lewis who I consider a lightweight armchair theologian.

It's the historical Puritans, especially Jeremiah Burroughs and Richard Baxter, who keep me focused.

I disagree with you Bro. on Lewis, but then I never read Lewis for Theology, only for entertainment. I do agree with you about the Puritans, if more people would read the Puritans, especially Pastors I think the landscape of the Church would appear quite different. I recently gave a copy of the Reformed pastor to a local Baptist Minister who commented he had never heard of him. I thought how sad it has become that the Puritans have slipped into such obscurity in our day. We need a new Reformation.

Defection from Doctrine

by J. C. Ryle

"Crowds, and crying, and hot rooms, and high-flown singing, and an incessant rousing of the emotions, are the only things which many care for. Inability to distinguish differences in doctrine is spreading far and wide, and so long as the preacher is clever and earnest, hundreds seem to think it must be all right, and call you dreadfully narrow and uncharitable if you hint that he is unsound."

BronxBriar · Aug 23, 2004

Irishcat922 said:
I disagree with you Bro. on Lewis, but then I never read Lewis for Theology, only for entertainment. I do agree with you about the Puritans, if more people would read the Puritans, especially Pastors I think the landscape of the Church would appear quite different. I recently gave a copy of the Reformed pastor to a local Baptist Minister who commented he had never heard of him. I thought how sad it has become that the Puritans have slipped into such obscurity in our day. We need a new Reformation.

Well said!

And might I add that you are the first person to give me a sound reason for re-reading Lewis rather than ripping me to shreds! LOL.

StAnselm · Aug 23, 2004

I think we need to remember that Lewis never claimed to be a theologian - but that doesn't mean he is insightful, instructive and wise. Yes, he is entertaining, but he also makes me think, and I like that.

cygnusx1 · Aug 23, 2004

I used to co-author a magazine on the Puritans, with 2 fellow Calvinists.

I also have an excellent Puritan Library.

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