What I'm Reading -- How About You?

I love Cornwell! Maybe Colleen McCullough is better all round but Cornwell has more action. Let me know what you think of it.

I'm watching King of the Hill season 3 episode 19 on Netflix

Lincoln’s Battle with God: A President Struggle with Faith and What It Meant for America by Stephen Mansfield. Just wrote this review on Amazon:

Mansfield does an admirable job of presenting the evidence for Abraham Lincoln's Christian faith as far as the historical evidence will support such a claim to faith. The portrait that emerges is arguably of a Lincoln falling short of an evangelical faith in that he is not known to have believed in eternal punishment, but also of a Lincoln having a strong general (liberal if you will) Christian faith in the Resurrection of the dead, Christ as Savior of the World, and God as sovereign over the events of history.

Lincoln seems to have been exposed to the best and worst in Christianity of his day by being strengthened in his faith through the writings of Presbyterian Pastor Reverend James D. Smith of Springfield, whose apologetic writings contained in The Christian's Defence, Lincoln is known to have read. At the same time Lincoln was exposed likely exposed to some of the church pettiness of his day. As he attended Smith's church in Springfield, the Presbyterian session was charged at one point with investigating a church member for the sin of dancing. (Lincoln and his wife had met at a dance.) Even in death, Lincoln couldn't escape the cultural bias of his day. Pastors lamented the fact that his death took place in a theater. Or in the words of one Presbyterian Pastor, "the theater is one of last places to which a good man should go."

Despite many challenges, Lincoln's faith eventually took form. Perhaps its strongest statement is Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Here Lincoln lays out an overwhelming case for God's sovereignty in history and the case against slavery, but he charges both the North and South with the collective crime of slavery that God must judge. Lincoln also lays out a Scriptural philosophy of history in which God is portrayed as allowing the crimes of humanity to go so far, but no further, until evil has reached its fullness and is judged.

This is a good book. It's made that much more enjoyable in that Mansfield is able to keep things complete, yet brief. And even while being brief provide several mini-histories of various topics. We see the sad picture for example of Mrs. Lincoln's interest in spiritualism after her son's death, even as her husband is turns closer to his Christian faith as a way of coping with his grief. More examples could be mentioned. But it suffices to say that this is a book that is well worth it.

So much has been written about Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln | Thomas J. DiLorenzo - YouTube

JM said:

So much has been written about Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln | Thomas J. DiLorenzo - YouTube

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There really has been. This book stands out from the others though. Give it a try. Another one that looks good is Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President (Library of Religious Biography) by Allen C. Guelzo.

I just finished Kevin Swanson's Apostate: The Men Who Destroyed the Christian West.

Apostate: The Book

JM said:

I love Cornwell! Maybe Colleen McCullough is better all round but Cornwell has more action. Let me know what you think of it.

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Yes, Cornwell is great. My all time favorite book series is the Sharpe books (24 books). Absolutely my favorite book character of all time too (Richard Sharpe). You are right. Cornwell's strength is in his battle descriptions.

I haven't heard of Colleen McCullough, but I will for sure check her out with your recommendation.

As for 1356, so far so good. I would recommend before you read it, you read the Grail Quest Trilogy, as 1356 is the same main character 10 years later. Harlequin, Vagabond and Heretic are the three books in that series.

McCullough's novels:

1. The First Man in Rome (1990); spanning the years 110–100 BC
2. The Grass Crown (1991); spanning the years 97–86 BC
3. Fortune's Favourites (1993); spanning the years 83–69 BC
4. Caesar's Women (1997); spanning the years 67–59 BC
5. Caesar (1998); spanning the years 54–48 BC
6. The October Horse (2002); spanning the years 48–41 BC and
7. Antony and Cleopatra (2007); spanning the years 41–27 BC

McCullough's novels:

1. The First Man in Rome (1990); spanning the years 110–100 BC
2. The Grass Crown (1991); spanning the years 97–86 BC
3. Fortune's Favourites (1993); spanning the years 83–69 BC
4. Caesar's Women (1997); spanning the years 67–59 BC
5. Caesar (1998); spanning the years 54–48 BC
6. The October Horse (2002); spanning the years 48–41 BC and
7. Antony and Cleopatra (2007); spanning the years 41–27 BC

Just taking some time to relearn first year Greek. Mounce is a lot easier than my old prof. He has lectures you can purchase online, too.

I'm only about 1/4-1/2 way through. Next book is:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310287685/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310287677/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310259878/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just taking some time to relearn first year Greek. Mounce is a lot easier than my old prof. He has lectures you can purchase online, too.

I'm only about 1/4-1/2 way through. Next book is:

http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Beyon...=1-1&keywords=greek+grammar+beyond+the+basics

JM said:

McCullough's novels:

1. The First Man in Rome (1990); spanning the years 110–100 BC
2. The Grass Crown (1991); spanning the years 97–86 BC
3. Fortune's Favourites (1993); spanning the years 83–69 BC
4. Caesar's Women (1997); spanning the years 67–59 BC
5. Caesar (1998); spanning the years 54–48 BC
6. The October Horse (2002); spanning the years 48–41 BC and
7. Antony and Cleopatra (2007); spanning the years 41–27 BC

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Excellent. Thank you. Always a fan of Roman historical fiction.

Just picked up:



The cover got me.

I'm not done reading John Wesley's Teachings vol. 2. Wesley was a man of contradiction. When he dealt directly with Calvinism he sounds Pelagian but when he preaches about total inability of man he sounds a lot like a low Calvinist. From Wiki, "Wesley insisted on prevenient grace as a solution to two great problems in Christianity: the belief of original sin and the Protestant doctrine of salvation by grace alone. Developing the idea based upon the witness of Scripture, Wesley thought that prevenient grace enabled the doctrines of original sin and salvation by grace to co-exist while still maintaining God's sovereignty and holy character as well as human freedom."

I'd like to see his scriptural proof for prevenient grace cause I haven't seen it.

jm

I watched The Americans tv series. Excellent! A little gritty at times but entertaining.

I'm now reading:

JM said:

I watched The Americans tv series. Excellent! A little gritty at times but entertaining.

I'm now reading:

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Wow, those look good. This one that I'd recommend:



I wrote this review of it sometime ago:

Koestler vividly describes the paranoid atmosphere of Stalin's Russia - the physical and psychological torture and the many imprisoned or executed on trumped-up charges. Beyond this, Koestler powerfully portrays the emptiness of a life dedicated to pursuing Communist utopia within a secular worldview in which any means are justified to pursue these utopian dreams.

Koestler also contrast a government based on the ideal of the value of each individual, rooted in Christianity, versus a secular government able to justify treating individuals as expendable, especially in this passage: "There are only two conceptions of human ethics and they are at opposite poles. One of them is Christian and humane, declares the individual to be sacrosanct, and asserts that the rules of arithmetic are not to be applied to human units. The other starts from the basic principle that a collective aim justifies all means, and not only allows, but demands, that the individual should in every way be subordinated to the community -- which may dispose of it as an experimentation rabbit or a sacrificial lamb."

I checked my local library and we don't have it.

From your description it reminds me of the intense paranoid writing found in Child 44.

Arrived in the mail today, finally have a set of John Calvin, Tracts and Letters - 7 volumes for $40, what a deal! Along with a few issues of Christian History journal for a buck each. Started reading a little from an issue about the Puritans, interesting history!

A buddy of mine has that set. I've have always admired it, enjoy!

Finishing up The Canon of Scripture by F.F. Bruce.

Am pretty far along reading Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor.

Also, recently started Under the Dome by Stephen King in anticipation of the television show.

I just got What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an by James White and I've started reading "Through Him who strengthens me": selected shorter writings and sermons of Stuart Eldon Murray.