Suggestions for Resource Descriptions/Tags when purchasing

On the website, when searching for new resources to purchase, (unless I'm missing it) it would be nice to have some kind of tag or concise description system in place for the resources. I'm a new Logos user (Bible Study Package) and have been putting together my "wishlist" of resources, but often don't know enough about a resource to decide if it's "for me".

For example, the Tyndale collection sounds interesting, but I don't know anything about it. Is it written from an Armenian or Calvinist perspective? Conservative or Liberal view? Reformed? Baptist? Deep Theology or Layman "understandable"? High view of the inspiration of the text?

Of course there are the reviews and praises for the collection, but those don't answer the questions I have. I'd hate to spend $200+ on a collection and find out that it doesn't line up with my views/beliefs/theological positions.

If I'm just missing something that's already there, could someone point me in the right direction?

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Comments

Ron

Even something as simple as what is seen here: http://www.bestcommentaries.com/series/tyndale-old-testament-commentary-totc/ would be a step in the right direction. Ideally, I'd like quite a bit more information than that, but it would at least be a start. For example, I notice from that link that the Daniel commentary comes from an amillennial perspective. As a premillennialist, that may not be enough to turn me off to the whole Tyndale set completely, but it would be a factor that I'd definitely want to be aware of before spending the money on it.

Ron

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/79543#Comment_79543

Sorry, I'm adding more as I think of it. The related "flipside" to this suggestion, is I would like an easy way to search for commentaries and resources based on what theological bents I AM looking for. For example, it would be nice to have a series of drop down categories where I could choose to display all resources from conservative scholarship with premillenial views or dispensational views or whatever the case may be. I want to build a decent library, but like all most of us have limited funding and want to make sure I can prioritize my purchases based on resources that have the same theological leanings I do. Having to do the intense research elsewhere using Google or whatever before deciding what to purchase here is more than a little inconvenient.

George Somsel

For example, the Tyndale collection sounds interesting, but I don't know anything about it. Is it written from an Armenian ... perspective?

Are you sure it isn't written in Armenian? [;)]

Todd Phillips

For example, the Tyndale
collection sounds interesting, but I don't know anything about it. Is
it written from an Armenian or Calvinist perspective? Conservative or
Liberal view? Reformed? Baptist? Deep Theology or Layman
"understandable"? High view of the inspiration of the text?

Not all commentary series are written from a common perspective. You'll have to investigate each volume on it own merits, as the authors are from a variety of backgrounds. However it is "fairly conservative and clearly evangelical", quoting Jeremy Pierce in his short review of the series here: http://parablemania.ektopos.com/archives/2006/04/tyndale_oldnew_1.html

Here is the intro to the General Preface of one of the volumes:

"THE aim of this series of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, as it was in the companion volumes on the New Testament, is to provide the student of the Bible with a handy, up-to-date commentary on each book, with the primary emphasis on exegesis. Major critical questions are discussed in the introductions and additional notes, while undue technicalities have been avoided.

"In this series individual authors are, of course, free to make their own distinct contributions and express their own point of view on all debated issues. Within the necessary limits of space they frequently draw attention to interpretations which they themselves do not hold but which represent the stated conclusions of sincere fellow Christians."

Ron

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/79560#Comment_79560

Are you sure it isn't written in Armenian?

Arminian, sorry...but you know what I meant [:P] LOL

Ron

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/79572#Comment_79572

Not all commentary series are written from a common perspective. You'll have to investigate each volume on it own merits, as the authors are from a variety of backgrounds. However it is "fairly conservative and clearly evangelical", quoting Jeremy Pierce in his short review of the series here: http://parablemania.ektopos.com/archives/2006/04/tyndale_oldnew_1.html

Here is the intro to the General Preface of one of the volumes:

"THE aim of this series of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, as it was in the companion volumes on the New Testament, is to provide the student of the Bible with a handy, up-to-date commentary on each book, with the primary emphasis on exegesis. Major critical questions are discussed in the introductions and additional notes, while undue technicalities have been avoided.

"In this series individual authors are, of course, free to make their own distinct contributions and express their own point of view on all debated issues. Within the necessary limits of space they frequently draw attention to interpretations which they themselves do not hold but which represent the stated conclusions of sincere fellow Christians."

Thanks for the link and information on the Tyndale series. Maybe that wasn't the best example for my suggestion since it is written by many different authors...but you DO see what I'm trying to get at, right?

Ron

*bump*

I still think there has to be a better system than the current one for the catalog. Ideally, I'd like to see the entire catalog categorized and/or tagged with at least general categories (catholic, protestant, baptist, evangelical, reformed, conservative, critical, scholastic, layperson, devotional, etc, etc) if not more specific ones (calvinist, arminian, YEC, OEC, divine evolution, amillenial, premillenial, etc, etc)

Additionally, it would be great if Logos software had a way of recommending new community pricing/prepub offers on your software homepage based on your preselected preferences within the software.

As it currently stands the only way for a newbie, layperson like me to expand my library is to go item by item one at a time through the extensive catalog and spend significant time searching Google for reviews and information about the book/set. At 5 or 10 minutes trying to find information for each book or set, that quickly adds up to a significant amount of time that could better be spent actually studying the Bible and the books rather than trying (often unsuccessfully) to determine if a resource is something I'd be interested in or now. If there were AT LEAST general categories for everything in the catalog that would save a significant amount of time narrowing down the possibilites. It would eliminate immediately the resources that I'd have absolutely no interest in without having to spend the time searching just to find out that some book is a commentary written from the viewpoint of the Haley-Bopp comet cult or whatever (I'm kidding obviously, but I'm sure everyone has certain types or categories of resources that wouldn't appeal to them in any way shape or form and it would be nice to eliminate those up-front without spending time searching to discover that fact.)

In the meantime, does anyone have suggestions as to how they go about discovering new resources and expanding their libraries? There has to be a more efficient way than going item by item through the entire catalog.