Currently reading?

Still awaiting Jennette McCurdy's brand-new bestseller, I'm Glad My Mom Died.

Sevenoneself wrote:^^ I'll let you know! 

I know I'm getting into controversial stuff here, so I'll just give you my experience and you'll have to accept it for what it is!

I've been following Julie Roys for awhile (and those who are sympathetic of her work), and for the most part I'm impressed with her work. Those who follow her love this book.

I also follow and love Frank Turek, Greg Koukl, Sean Mcdowell, WLC, The Recovering Fundamentalist. They have varying levels of critique for this book, from flat-out rejection to guarded optimism.

A few weeks ago I re-connected with one of my former bible college professors whom I really respect. He had recently read it and gave a mostly optimistic view of it. He said, at the least, I should read it for myself.

So...I will give a review when I'm done!

Anybody who knows me knows I'm not here to argue, though I do know the book is controversial. I haven't read it, but am curious what people think. (People who have actually read the book, not people who read what somebody else says about the book.)

Julie Roys. . . I can't say I "follow" her, but I'm aware of her, and it seems likely that she's done some helpful things? But she also makes me wonder where the line is between exposing really, truly dark and damaging things and expecting perfection from clergy. What's the difference between "spiritual abuse" and "a guy got mad and said something he shouldn't have once or twice?" Pastors ARE held to higher standards. Pastor also ARE still human beings, and not actual Jesus. And there's a well known psychological phenomenon where when you're looking for something, you find it. . . whether it's really there or not. I wonder if people who make it their business to start looking for "spiritual abuse" start seeing it all over. . . whether it's really there or not.

Just for "on-topic" points!

Currently reading "Tortured for Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand. Absolutely amazing. I almost don't want to recommend it for fear of it stoking political garbage, but taken on it's own merits it's horrifying and inspiring and crazy all at the same time.

Grindboy wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:^^ I'll let you know! 

I know I'm getting into controversial stuff here, so I'll just give you my experience and you'll have to accept it for what it is!

I've been following Julie Roys for awhile (and those who are sympathetic of her work), and for the most part I'm impressed with her work. Those who follow her love this book.

I also follow and love Frank Turek, Greg Koukl, Sean Mcdowell, WLC, The Recovering Fundamentalist. They have varying levels of critique for this book, from flat-out rejection to guarded optimism.

A few weeks ago I re-connected with one of my former bible college professors whom I really respect. He had recently read it and gave a mostly optimistic view of it. He said, at the least, I should read it for myself.

So...I will give a review when I'm done!

Anybody who knows me knows I'm not here to argue, though I do know the book is controversial. I haven't read it, but am curious what people think. (People who have actually read the book, not people who read what somebody else says about the book.)

Julie Roys. . . I can't say I "follow" her, but I'm aware of her, and it seems likely that she's done some helpful things? But she also makes me wonder where the line is between exposing really, truly dark and damaging things and expecting perfection from clergy. What's the difference between "spiritual abuse" and "a guy got mad and said something he shouldn't have once or twice?" Pastors ARE held to higher standards. Pastor also ARE still human beings, and not actual Jesus. And there's a well known psychological phenomenon where when you're looking for something, you find it. . . whether it's really there or not. I wonder if people who make it their business to start looking for "spiritual abuse" start seeing it all over. . . whether it's really there or not.

This is kind of how I feel about Julie Roys. She’s done some excellent work, but sometimes there almost seems to be witch-hunting going on. I try in the power of the Spirit to live my life above reproach, but I’m sure you could find unwise things I’ve said or moments of bad attitude if you looked close enough. I am very aware how far I fall short of perfection. That’s not to say there aren’t disqualifying sins, because there are. But not every sin disqualifies one from ministry. If it did, only our Lord could pastor a church!

Sevenoneself wrote:^^ I'll let you know! 

I know I'm getting into controversial stuff here, so I'll just give you my experience and you'll have to accept it for what it is!

I've been following Julie Roys for awhile (and those who are sympathetic of her work), and for the most part I'm impressed with her work. Those who follow her love this book.

I also follow and love Frank Turek, Greg Koukl, Sean Mcdowell, WLC, The Recovering Fundamentalist. They have varying levels of critique for this book, from flat-out rejection to guarded optimism.

A few weeks ago I re-connected with one of my former bible college professors whom I really respect. He had recently read it and gave a mostly optimistic view of it. He said, at the least, I should read it for myself.

So...I will give a review when I'm done!

Sounds good.

Personally, I'm completely done with anything that leads with race...especially in the current zeitgeist where white people are quite literally to blame for everything. Too many people (of all ethnicities) but especially other white people are being way, way too passive about this. It's like people inexplicably staying in abusive relationships.

No more.

I think the conversation about cultural vs biblical masculinity is worth having, but I think that’s a separate conversation from race. It’s not as if only one race has to deal with cultural vs biblical expectations.

Pethead wrote:I think the conversation about cultural vs biblical masculinity is worth having, but I think that’s a separate conversation from race. It’s not as if only one race has to deal with cultural vs biblical expectations.

We might not be talking about the same things. I'm reacting to the title that has "white Evangelicals in it.

That's the conversation I'm done with. If a title or conversation leads with race...then I knowm whence it came.

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Pethead wrote:I think the conversation about cultural vs biblical masculinity is worth having, but I think that’s a separate conversation from race. It’s not as if only one race has to deal with cultural vs biblical expectations.

We might not be talking about the same things. I'm reacting to the title that has "white Evangelicals in it.

That's the conversation I'm done with. If a title or conversation leads with race...then I knowm whence it came.

Sorry, I should’ve been clearer. I meant that part of the book, the issue of cultural vs biblical masculinity, seems like a good conversation to have. But I don’t know why the author seems to tie it in with race.

Pethead wrote:

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Pethead wrote:I think the conversation about cultural vs biblical masculinity is worth having, but I think that’s a separate conversation from race. It’s not as if only one race has to deal with cultural vs biblical expectations.

We might not be talking about the same things. I'm reacting to the title that has "white Evangelicals in it.

That's the conversation I'm done with. If a title or conversation leads with race...then I know whence it came.

Sorry, I should’ve been clearer. I meant that part of the book, the issue of cultural vs biblical masculinity, seems like a good conversation to have. But I don’t know why the author seems to tie it in with race.

Gotcha!

I am completely down with a conversation about masculinity, which men have largely abdicated.

D.A. Carson: Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension.

Thomas Brooks: Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices 

Pethead wrote:D.A. Carson: Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension.

How is it? Pretty calvinistic, or is it fair to the biblical texts on free will?

Sevenoneself wrote:

Pethead wrote:D.A. Carson: Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension.

How is it? Pretty calvinistic, or is it fair to the biblical texts on free will?

It’s good stuff. It’s Calvinistic, but it does justice to the variegated themes in Scripture. Carson’s a fair and good scholar.

Pethead wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:

Pethead wrote:D.A. Carson: Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension.

How is it? Pretty calvinistic, or is it fair to the biblical texts on free will?

It’s good stuff. It’s Calvinistic, but it does justice to the variegated themes in Scripture. Carson’s a fair and good scholar.

Good to hear. I should put it on my list of things to read. I've read WLC's Q&A (#157) on Calvinism/Molinism a few times throughout the years and he references this book:

"1. D. A. Carson identifies nine streams of texts affirming human freedom: (1) People face a multitude of divine exhortations and commands, (2) people are said to obey, believe, and choose God, (3) people sin and rebel against God, (4) people’s sins are judged by God, (5) people are tested by God, (6) people receive divine rewards, (7) the elect are responsible to respond to God’s initiative, ( prayers are not mere showpieces scripted by God, and (9) God literally pleads with sinners to repent and be saved (Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension, pp. 18-22)."

Sevenoneself wrote:

Pethead wrote:

Sevenoneself wrote:

Pethead wrote:D.A. Carson: Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension.

How is it? Pretty calvinistic, or is it fair to the biblical texts on free will?

It’s good stuff. It’s Calvinistic, but it does justice to the variegated themes in Scripture. Carson’s a fair and good scholar.

Good to hear. I should put it on my list of things to read. I've read WLC's Q&A (#157) on Calvinism/Molinism a few times throughout the years and he references this book:

"1. D. A. Carson identifies nine streams of texts affirming human freedom: (1) People face a multitude of divine exhortations and commands, (2) people are said to obey, believe, and choose God, (3) people sin and rebel against God, (4) people’s sins are judged by God, (5) people are tested by God, (6) people receive divine rewards, (7) the elect are responsible to respond to God’s initiative, ( prayers are not mere showpieces scripted by God, and (9) God literally pleads with sinners to repent and be saved (Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: Biblical Perspectives in Tension, pp. 18-22)."

I think Carson would be close to my current understanding.

Just a word of warning: the book is based on Carson’s dissertation, so it’s quite heady at points. You might want to skip over some sections.

^^ I've prided myself on reading all the way through every book I've started, but there are a few that got so heavy and over-my-head that I had to skip. WLC's Reasonable Faith was like that!

St. Maximus the Confessor - The Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ
Elias Loennrot - The Kalevala

I just picked up Yancey's Where The Light Fell from the library. But I technically haven't cracked it open and started reading yet...

Finally finished The gulag archipelago, and now I started reading To a thousand generations by Douglas Wilson

Andreas89 wrote:Finally finished The gulag archipelago, and now I started reading To a thousand generations by Douglas Wilson

Well done! It's on my bucket list, but I'm afraid I don't have enough self-discipline and perseverance right now. Nice work!

Thanks, although I have to say that several chapters were omitted, but I couldn't find a version that did have them. A pity, because the summaries provided in the book looked really interesting. But who knows what the future will bring, a full Dutch version perhaps?

The book doesn't have the greatest flow to it by the way, but that was because Solzhenitsyn had to keep the parts of his work separated just in case.

Jeanette Mccurdy,  I'm Glad My Mom Died.

Gospel People: A Call for Evangelical Integrity by Michael Reeves