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Other than the Bible, what are the most important Christian texts?
4-22-08 | vanity

Posted on 04/22/2008 12:08:45 PM PDT by ChurtleDawg

Other than the Holy Bible, what writings should every Christian try to find and read, in your opinion?

For example: The Didache, writings by early Christian apologetics like Justin Matyr, St. Augustine's books, The Nicene Creed, the works of C.S. Lewis, Pope Benedict's book "Jesus of Nazareth", the Dead Sea Scrolls....etc.

These can be any book, writing or article that you think was essential to your understanding of Christianity, theology or to your interpretation of the Bible.


TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: bible; scripture; theology; tradition
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To: ChurtleDawg

Asimov’s Guide to the Bible


21 posted on 04/22/2008 12:25:59 PM PDT by Soliton (McCain couldn't even win a McCain look-alike contest)
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To: ChurtleDawg
I love Pope John Paul II encyclicals. They were ahead of their time and prohetic. Redemtoris Mater is beautiful for women. He explains how important women are for God and the special role women play in humanity. God gave us a true role model and of course that is the blessed mother. He called it the feminine genious if I recall correctly.

"The Virgin Mother is constantly present on this journey of faith of the People of God towards the light. This is shown in a special way by the canticle of the "Magnificat," which, having welled up from the depths of Mary's faith at the Visitation, ceaselessly re-echoes in the heart of the Church down the centuries. This is proved by its daily recitation in the liturgy of Vespers and at many other moments of both personal and communal devotion."

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on his servant in her lowliness. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name:

http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0224/__P3.HTM

http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0224/__P2.HTM

22 posted on 04/22/2008 12:26:19 PM PDT by mgist
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To: ChurtleDawg
The Summa would top my list.
23 posted on 04/22/2008 12:27:50 PM PDT by curiosity
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To: ChurtleDawg
The Confessions of Saint Augustine.
The Breviloquium of Saint Bonaventure
The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri
The Summa Theologiae of Saint Thomas Aquinas
The Catechism of the Council of Trent
The Practice Of The Presence Of God by Brother Lawrence
The Dark Night Of The Soul/The Ascent Of Mount Carmel by Saint John Of The Cross
The Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena
The Spiritual Combat of Father Lorenzo Scupoli
Faith And Reason by John Paul II
The Catechism Of The Catholic Church

24 posted on 04/22/2008 12:30:58 PM PDT by wideawake (Why is it that those who call themselves Constitutionalists know the least about the Constitution?)
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To: ChurtleDawg

The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.


25 posted on 04/22/2008 12:33:22 PM PDT by mouse_35 (Vote Demorcrat for 2008! Lets do for Iraq what we did for Cambodia!!!)
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To: Augustinian monk

LOL!


26 posted on 04/22/2008 12:35:30 PM PDT by P8riot (I carry a gun because I can't carry a cop.)
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To: P8riot

(((You’re not serious.)))

About what?


27 posted on 04/22/2008 12:37:25 PM PDT by freepertoo
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To: freepertoo

Max Lucado is okie dokie, but I don’t find his writings to be “important Christian texts”


28 posted on 04/22/2008 12:39:19 PM PDT by P8riot (I carry a gun because I can't carry a cop.)
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To: freepertoo

Pilgrim’s Progress? You have to be kidding. This is what Bunyam would write about this thread:

Then, Newbie Freeper asked anyone who would read his letter what books they might recommend to anyone traveling from New Christian Town to Well-Read Christian City. Then Sectarian proposed first that Childish Screed should be read, but Offended Catholic protested, and mocked the proposal. He said, “1. Firstly, I find it quite poorly written, and 2. Secondly, it’s teachings are simply bitter sectarianism.”


29 posted on 04/22/2008 12:40:59 PM PDT by dangus
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To: freepertoo

I think Heaven by Randy Alcorn is fascinating. It’s amazing that Heaven is the ultimate goal of Christians yet it is discussed so little. Alcorn tries to bring it to life based on scripture, although he has little to go on. It’s a very interesting read.


30 posted on 04/22/2008 12:41:21 PM PDT by cdga5for4
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To: mouse_35

One of the first books I read when I became a Christian. I think the first chapter is called “Cheap Grace/Costly Grace.”


31 posted on 04/22/2008 12:41:39 PM PDT by MarDav
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To: Soliton

Is this Isaac Asimov, the noted science fiction writer?


32 posted on 04/22/2008 12:41:59 PM PDT by dawn53
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To: ChurtleDawg

Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity by Richard Hooker

The Collects of Thomas Cranmer by Paul Zahl

Anything by CS Lewis


33 posted on 04/22/2008 12:42:07 PM PDT by kalee (The offenses we give, we write in the dust; Those we take, we write in marble. JHuett)
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To: P8riot

The title mentioned “important Christian texts”, but the body of the post included “These can be any book, writing or article that you think was essential to your understanding of Christianity, theology or to your interpretation of the Bible”...and if somebody thinks Lucado helped them understand their faith, who is anybody else to say that he didn’t, or that his writings aren’t important to certain individuals.


34 posted on 04/22/2008 12:46:10 PM PDT by dawn53
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To: dawn53

Yes, and professor of Biochemistry at Johns Hopkins. His non-fiction works (hundreds of them) are better than his fiction. His Guide to Shakespeare is also brilliant.


35 posted on 04/22/2008 12:48:22 PM PDT by Soliton (McCain couldn't even win a McCain look-alike contest)
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To: ChurtleDawg

Book of Mormon.

{sarc.}


36 posted on 04/22/2008 12:52:26 PM PDT by proudpapa (May God Bless Our Troops.)
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To: ChurtleDawg

“The Faith” by Charles Colson


37 posted on 04/22/2008 12:53:08 PM PDT by llmc1
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To: dawn53

Max Lucado was amazing to me, and I’m Catholic. What is so great is that he can be understood by anyone. I read him as a kid and it is all I could comprehend at that point. The Catechism Of The Catholic Church is profound, and certainly not for the average Christian. The Catechism is good for someone who is biblically very knowledgable and has a deep faith. In my opinion all have their merit.


38 posted on 04/22/2008 12:54:32 PM PDT by mgist
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To: ChurtleDawg
Scanning down the thread, I see that after the Bible, the greatest religious works in the 2,000 year history of Christendom are by people named Alcorn, Schaeffer, Edwards, Packer, Stott, Dillow, Kendall, Lucado, Morgan and MacKintosh?

Aren't they the Dolphins' defensive starters?

Who are these people and what are you guys smoking?

The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis, and The Way of Perfection and The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila dwarf all of this twaddle.

For an easy but wonderful read, try Introduction to the Spiritual Life by St. Francis de Sales.

39 posted on 04/22/2008 12:55:19 PM PDT by marshmallow
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To: ChurtleDawg

The Orations of Arminius.


40 posted on 04/22/2008 12:58:28 PM PDT by tal hajus
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